The results obtained so far and those of the running experiments on neutrinoless double betadecay are reviewed. The plans for second generation experiments, the techniques to be adopted and the expected sensitivities are compared and discussed

Certain nuclear betadecay transitions normally inhibited by angular momentum or parity considerations can be induced to occur by the application of an electromagnetic field. Such decays can be useful in the controlled production of power, and in fission waste disposal

The experimental observation of neutrino oscillations and thus neutrino mass and mixing gives a first hint at new particle physics. The absolute values of the neutrino mass and the properties of neutrinos under CP-conjugation remain unknown. The experimental investigation of the nuclear double betadecay is one of the key techniques for solving these open problems

These notes represent a series of lectures delivered by the authors in the Junta de Energia Nuclear, during the Spring term of 1965. They were devoted to graduate students interested in the Theory of Elementary Particles. Special emphasis was focussed into the computational problems. Chapter I is a review of basic principles (Dirac equation, transition probabilities, final state interactions.) which will be needed later. In Chapter II the four-fermion punctual Interaction is discussed, Chapter III is devoted to the study of beta-decay; the main emphasis is given to the deduction of the formulae corresponding to electron-antineutrino correlation, electron energy spectrum, lifetimes, asymmetry of electrons emitted from polarized nuclei, electron and neutrino polarization and time reversal invariance in betadecay. In Chapter IV we deal with the decay of polarized muons with radiative corrections. Chapter V is devoted to an introduction to C.V.C. theory. (Author)

These notes represent a series of lectures delivered by the authors in the Junta de Energia Nuclear, during the Spring term of 1965. They were devoted to graduate students interested in the Theory of Elementary Particles. Special emphasis was focussed into the computational problems. Chapter I is a review of basic principles (Dirac equation, transition probabilities, final state interactions.) which will be needed later. In Chapter II the four-fermion punctual Interaction is discussed, Chapter III is devoted to the study of beta-decay; the main emphasis is given to the deduction of the formulae corresponding to electron-antineutrino correlation, electron energy spectrum, lifetimes, asymmetry of electrons emitted from polarized nuclei, electron and neutrino polarization and time reversal invariance in betadecay. In Chapter IV we deal with the decay of polarized muons with radiative corrections. Chapter V is devoted to an introduction to C.V.C. theory. (Author)

Describes an experiment to measure betadecays of the sigma particle. Sigmas produced by stopping a K - beam in a liquid hydrogen target decayed in the following reactions: Kp → Σπ; Σ → Neν. The electron and pion were detected by wire spark chambers in a magnetic spectrometer and by plastic scintillators, and were differentiated by a threshold gas Cherenkov counter. The neutron was detected by liquid scintillation counters. The data (n = 3) shell electrons or the highly excited electrons decay first. Instead, it is suggested that when there are two to five electrons in highly excited states immediately after a heavy ion--atom collision the first transitions to occur will be among highly excited Rydberg states in a cascade down to the 4s, 4p, and 3d-subshells. If one of the long lived states becomes occupied by electrons promoted during the collision or by electrons falling from higher levels, it will not decay until after the valence shell decays. LMM rates calculated to test the methods used are compared to previous works. The mixing coefficients are given in terms of the states 4s4p, 45sp+-, and 5s5p. The applicability of Cooper, Fano, and Prats' discussion of the energies and transition rates of doubly excited states is considered

The importance of neutrinoless Double BetaDecay (DBD) is stressed in view of the recent results of experiments on neutrino oscillations which indicate that the difference between the squared masses of two neutrinos of different flavours is finite [For a recent review including neutrino properties and recent results see: Review of Particle Physics, J. of Phys. G: Nuclear and Particle Physics 33, 1]. As a consequence the mass of at least one neutrino has to be different from zero and it becomes imperative to determine its absolute value. The various experimental techniques to search for DBD are discussed together with the difficult problems of the evaluation of the corresponding nuclear matrix elements. The upper limits on neutrino mass coming from the results of the various experiments are reported together with the indication for a non zero value by one of them not confirmed so far. The two presently running experiments on neutrinoless DBD are briefly described together with the already approved or designed second generation searches aiming to reach the values on the absolute neutrino mass indicated by the results on neutrino oscillations

The proton-rich isotope Cu-56 was produced at the GSI On-Line Mass Separator by means of the Si-28(S-32, p3n) fusion-evaporation reaction. Its beta -decay properties were studied by detecting beta -delayed gamma rays and protons. A half-Life of 93 +/- 3 ms was determined for Cu-56. Compared to the

The presented work describes the implementation of a new technique to measure electron-capture (EC) branching ratios (BRs) of intermediate nuclei in {beta}{beta} decays. This technique has been developed at TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada. It facilitates one of TRIUMF's Ion Traps for Atomic and Nuclear science (TITAN), the Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) that is used as a spectroscopy Penning trap. Radioactive ions, produced at the radioactive isotope facility ISAC, are injected and stored in the spectroscopy Penning trap while their decays are observed. A key feature of this technique is the use of a strong magnetic field, required for trapping. It radially confines electrons from {beta} decays along the trap axis while X-rays, following an EC, are emitted isotropically. This provides spatial separation of X-ray and {beta} detection with almost no {beta}-induced background at the X-ray detector, allowing weak EC branches to be measured. Furthermore, the combination of several traps allows one to isobarically clean the sample prior to the in-trap decay spectroscopy measurement. This technique has been developed to measure ECBRs of transition nuclei in {beta}{beta} decays. Detailed knowledge of these electron capture branches is crucial for a better understanding of the underlying nuclear physics in {beta}{beta} decays. These branches are typically of the order of 10{sup -5} and therefore difficult to measure. Conventional measurements suffer from isobaric contamination and a dominating {beta} background at theX-ray detector. Additionally, X-rays are attenuated by the material where the radioactive sample is implanted. To overcome these limitations, the technique of in-trap decay spectroscopy has been developed. In this work, the EBIT was connected to the TITAN beam line and has been commissioned. Using the developed beam diagnostics, ions were injected into the Penning trap and systematic studies on injection and storage optimization were performed. Furthermore, Ge

The beta-gamma spectroscopic study of 22 O is presented. This nucleus, produced as a projectile-like fragment from the interaction of a 60 MeV/n 40 Ar beam with a Be target, has been separated by the LISE spectrometer. Several gamma rays from 22 O decay have been observed, from which a half-life of (2.25±0.15) s has been determined. Accurate excitation energies have been deduced for several states in 22 F. A partial betadecay scheme of 22 O has been established. Experimental results have been compared with shell model calculations. (orig.)

Triton β-decay has been calculated using wave functions for 3 He and 3 H obtained from (Coulomb-modified) Faddeev equations for various interactions. We get a value for the Gamow-Teller matrix element of √3 (0.962±0.002) without regards to two- or three-nucleon inteactions. This value agrees with the experimental value. (orig.)

The Double BetaDecay, and especially ({beta}{beta}){sub 0{nu}} mode, is an excellent test of Standard Model as well as of neutrino physics. From experimental point of view, a very large number of different techniques are or have been used increasing the sensitivity of this experiments quite a lot (the factor of 10{sup 4} in the last 20 years). In future, in spite of several difficulties, the sensitivity would be increased further, keeping the interest of this very important process. (author) 4 figs., 5 tabs., 21 refs.

A class of discrete flavor-symmetry-based models predicts constrained neutrino mass matrix schemes that lead to specific neutrino mass sum-rules (MSR). We show how these theories may constrain the absolute scale of neutrino mass, leading in most of the cases to a lower bound on the neutrinoless double betadecay effective amplitude.

Neutrinoless double betadecay is the only process known so far able to test the neutrino intrinsic nature: its experimental observation would imply that the lepton number is violated by two units and prove that neutrinos have a Majorana mass components, being their own anti-particle. While several experiments searching for such a rare decay have been per- formed in the past, a new generation of experiments using different isotopes and techniques have recently released their results or are taking data and will provide new limits, should no signal be observed, in the next few years to come. The present contribution reviews the latest public results on double betadecay searches and gives an overview on the expected sensitivities of the experiments in construction which will be able to set stronger limits in the near future. EXO and KamLAND-Zen experiments are based on the decay of Xe 136 , GERDA and MAJORANA experiments are based on the decay of Ge 76 , and the CUORE experiment is based on the decay of Te 130

Among the problems which limit the use of the 187 Re/ 187 Os isobaric pair as a cosmochronometer for the age of the galaxy and the universe are the uncertainties in the partial half-lives of the continuum and bound state decays of 187 Re. While the total half-life of the decay is well established, the partial half-life for the continuum decay is uncertain, and several measurements are not compatible. A high temperature quartz proportional counter was used in this work to remeasure the continuum β - decay of 187 Re. The β endpoint energy for the decay of neutral 187 Re to singly ionized 187 Os of 2.75 ± 0.06 keV agrees with the earlier results. The corresponding half-life of (45 ± 3) x 10 9 years improves and agrees with the earlier measurement of Payne and Drever and refutes other measurements. Based on the new half-life for the continuum decay and a total half-life of (43.5 ± 1.3) x 10 9 years reported by Linder et al., the branching ratio for the bound state decay into discrete atomic states is estimated to be (3 ± 6)% in agreement with the most recent calculated theoretical branching ratio of approximately 1%. Anomalies in beta spectra reported by J.J. Simpson and others have been attributed to a 17 keV heavy-neutrino admixture. If confirmed, the implications from the existence of such a neutrino for particle and astrophysics would be significant. A multiwire open-quotes wall-lessclose quotes stainless steel proportional counter has been used in the present work to investigate the spectral shape of the β decay of 63 Ni. No anomalies in the spectral shape were observed which could be attributed to the presence of 17 keV heavy neutrino

The study of light nuclei far from stability has been recently renewed by the possibility of production through the projectile fragmentation of intermediate energy heavy ion beams at GANIL. The results presented here have been obtained with the Projectile Fragments Isotopic Separation method developed at the LISE spectrometer. 22 O is a Tz = 3 nucleus and is the first in a series of seven such nuclei in the sd shell extending from 22 O to 24 Mg. Although the half life of 22 O was previously measured by Murphy et al., the present study is the first beta-gamma spectroscopy on this neutron rich nucleus. Five gamma lines have been attributed to the β decay of 22 O with a measured half life of T = (2.25±0.15)s and a partial decay scheme has been established

Full Text Available In the past ten years, neutrino oscillation experiments have provided the incontrovertible evidence that neutrinos mix and have finite masses. These results represent the strongest demonstration that the electroweak Standard Model is incomplete and that new Physics beyond it must exist. In this scenario, a unique role is played by the Neutrinoless Double BetaDecay searches which can probe lepton number conservation and investigate the Dirac/Majorana nature of the neutrinos and their absolute mass scale (hierarchy problem with unprecedented sensitivity. Today Neutrinoless Double BetaDecay faces a new era where large-scale experiments with a sensitivity approaching the so-called degenerate-hierarchy region are nearly ready to start and where the challenge for the next future is the construction of detectors characterized by a tonne-scale size and an incredibly low background. A number of new proposed projects took up this challenge. These are based either on large expansions of the present experiments or on new ideas to improve the technical performance and/or reduce the background contributions. In this paper, a review of the most relevant ongoing experiments is given. The most relevant parameters contributing to the experimental sensitivity are discussed and a critical comparison of the future projects is proposed.

Considerable effort has been expended recently in theoretical studies of double betadecay. Much of this work has focussed on the constraints this process places on gauge theories of the weak interaction, in general, and on the neutrino mass matrix, in particular. In addition, interesting nuclear structure questions have arisen in studies of double betadecay matrix elements. After briefly reviewing the theory of double betadecay, some of the progress that has been made in these areas is summarized. 25 references

Information on beta -decay properties of neutron-rich /sup 47/Ar was obtained at the ISOLDE facility at CERN using isobaric selectivity. This was achieved by a combination of a plasma-ion source with a cooled transfer line and subsequent mass separation. A doubly charged beam was used in order to improve the signal-to-background ratio associated with multi-charged noble gas fission products. The identification of the /sup 47/Ar gamma -ray transitions was performed by comparing the spectra obtained from direct proton bombardment of the target and of the neutron converter. New excited levels in the daughter /sup 47/K nucleus corresponding to the negative-parity states were observed. The obtained data are compared to the result of large-scale shell model calculations and quasiparticle random-phase approximation predictions. (29 refs).

The review of modern experiments on search and studying of double betadecay processes is done. Results of the most sensitive current experiments are discussed. The main attention is paid to EXO-200, KamLAND-Zen, GERDA-I and CUORE-0 experiments. Modern values of T1/2(2ν) and best present limits on neutrinoless double betadecay and double betadecay with Majoron emission are presented. Conservative limits on effective mass of a Majorana neutrino ( at the level of ˜ 0.01-0.1 eV are discussed.

Problem, related to neutrino mass and lepton charge L conservation is briefly discussed. A possibility to experimentally test L conservation in different processes and to produce limitations for neutrino mass in double beta-decay processes is considered. Planned experiments on studying the double neutrinoless (2β) beta-decays and searching 2β(2ν)-decays, permitted by the conservation laws, are discussed. It is stressed, that comparison of the existing theoretical predictions of 2β(2ν)-decay probability with experimental results will make it possible to choose the most adequate approach to the calculation of double β-transition nuclear amplitudes

The review of modern experiments on search and studying of double betadecay processes is done. Results of the most sensitive current experiments are discussed. The main attention is paid to EXO-200, KamLAND-Zen, GERDA-I and CUORE-0 experiments. Modern values of T{sub 1/2}(2ν) and best present limits on neutrinoless double betadecay and double betadecay with Majoron emission are presented. Conservative limits on effective mass of a Majorana neutrino (〈m{sub ν}〉 < 0.46 eV) and a coupling constant of Majoron to neutrino (〈g{sub ee}〉 < 1.3 · 10{sup −5}) are obtained. Prospects of search for neutrinoless double betadecay in new experiments with sensitivity to 〈m{sub ν}〉 at the level of ∼ 0.01-0.1 eV are discussed.

The two-neutrino double betadecay of 82 Se has been measured during a 20 244 h run resulting in a half-life of 1.08 -0.06 +0.26 x10 20 years (68% C.L.). No candidate events for the zero-neutrino double betadecay during 21 924 h results in a half-life limit of 2.7x10 22 years at the 68% confidence level

Precision measurements in nuclear betadecay provide sensitive means to determine the fundamental coupling of charged fermions to weak bosons and to test discrete symmetries in the weak interaction. The main motivation of such measurements is to find deviations from Standard Model predictions as possible indications of new physics. I focus here on two topics related to precision measurements in betadecay, namely: (i) the determination of the V{sub ud} element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix from nuclear mirror transitions and (ii) selected measurements of time reversal violating correlations in nuclear and neutron decays. These topics complement those presented in other contributions to this conference.

22 O nuclei were produced as fragments of a 60 MeV/n 40 Ar beam interacting with a thick Be target. They were selected from all the produced nuclei with the LISE separator. γ spectra in coincidence with the β decay were measured. Partial decay scheme of 22 O is given. Similarities between experiments and calculations are discussed. (G.P.) 10 refs.; 3 figs

This book is an introduction to the physics of the semileptonic decay of hyperons. After a general introduction and a description of the experimental results the Cabibbo theory is introduced for the theoretical description of these results. Then radiative and other corrections are discussed. Finally this decay is considered in the framework of broken SU(3). This book applies to graduate students and other ''non-specialists'' who want to get some insight into the physics of weak interactions. (HSI)

Double betadecay is a rare transition between two nuclei of the same mass number A involving a change of the nuclear charge Z by two units. It has long been recognized that the Oν mode of double betadecay, where two electrons and no neutrinos are emitted, is a powerful tool for the study of neutrino properties. Its observation would constitute a convincing proof that there exists a massive Majorana neutrino which couples to electrons. Double betadecay is a process involving an intricate mixture of particle physics and physics of the nucleus. The principal nuclear physics issues have to do with the evaluation of the nuclear matrix elements responsible for the decay. If the authors wish to arrive at quantitative answers for the neutrino properties the authors have no choice but to learn first how to understand the nuclear mechanisms. The authors describe first the calculation of the decay rate of the 2ν mode of double betadecay, in which two electrons and two antineutrinos are emitted

The decay of 49 K has been studied through neutron and gamma spectroscopy techniques. The 49 K activity was formed by 600 MeV proton fragmentation reactions in a uranium carbide target. The observed β-strength, in addition to the general behaviour expected from the gross theory of β-decay, displays two resonances centered at about 6.5 MeV and 9.5 MeV in 49 Ca. This structure is discussed in simple shell-model terms. (orig.)

Searching for neutrinoless double betadecay is the only known practical method for trying to determine whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles. The theoretical motivation for supposing that they may indeed be their own antiparticles is described. The reason that it is so difficult to ascertain experimentally whether they are or are not is explained, as is the special sensitivity of neutrinoless double betadecay. The potential implications of the observation of this reaction for neutrino mass and for the physics of neutrinos is discussed

By measuring positrons and {beta}-delayed {gamma}-rays emitted from mass-separated sources, the decay of {sup 56}Cu(4{sup +},T{sub z}=-1,T=1) to states in the doubly-magic nucleus {sup 56}Ni was studied for the first time. The half-life of {sup 56}Cu was measured to be 78(15) ms, and four {beta}-delayed {gamma}-rays were assigned to its decay. The resulting experimental data on Fermi and Gamow-Teller strength are compared with shell-model predictions. (orig.)

After the pioneering work of the Heidelberg-Moscow (HDM) and International Germanium Experiment (IGEX) groups, the second round of neutrinoless double-$\\beta$ decay searches currently underway has or will improve the life-time limits of double-$\\beta$ decay candidates by a factor of two to three, reaching in the near future the $T_{1/2} = 3 \\times 10^{25}$ yr level. This talk will focus on the large-scale experiments GERDA, EXO-200, and KamLAND-Zen, which have reported already lower half-life...

A Monte Carlo code has been developed to accurately simulate double-betadecay measurements. Coincident gamma rays, beta spectra, and angular correlations have been added to adequately simulate a complete 100 Mo nuclear decay and provide corrections to experimentally determined detector efficiencies. This code has been used to strip certain low-background spectra obtained in the Homestake gold mine in Lead, SD, for the purpose of extremely sensitive materials assay for the construction of new, large, enriched germanium detectors. Assays as low as 9 μBq/g of 210 Pb in lead shielding were obtained

Betadecay of highly charged ions has attracted much attention in recent years. An obvious motivation for this research is that stellar nucleosynthesis proceeds at high temperatures where the involved atoms are highly ionized. Another important reason is addressing decays of well-defined quantum-mechanical systems, such as one-electron ions where all interactions with other electrons are excluded. The largest modifications of nuclear half-lives with respect to neutral atoms have been observed in betadecay of highly charged ions. These studies can be performed solely at ion storage rings and ion traps, because there high atomic charge states can be preserved for extended periods of time (up to several hours). Currently, all experimental results available in this field originate from experiments at the heavy-ion complex GSI in Darmstadt. There, the fragment separator facility FRS allows the production and separation of exotic, highly charged nuclides, which can then be stored and investigated in the storage ring facility ESR. In this review, we present and discuss in particular two-body betadecays, namely bound-state betadecay and orbital electron capture. Although we focus on experiments conducted at GSI, we will also attempt to provide general requirements common to any other experiment in this context. Finally, we address challenging but not yet performed experiments and we give prospects for the new radioactive beam facilities, such as FAIR in Darmstadt, IMP in Lanzhou and RIKEN in Wako.

Much effort has been devoted to the study of nuclear double betadecay, since the observation of a neutrinoless double beta (OνΒΒ) decay would be clear evidence that the electron neutrino is a Majorana particle. The OνΒΒ decay is caused by a finite Majorana neutrino mass and/or an admixture of right-handed leptonic currents. In order to relate these quantities to OνΒΒ decay rates, we need nuclear matrix elements, which are model dependent. One of the possibilities of testing nuclear models employed in such analysis is to calculate the experimentally known rates of ΒΒ decay with emission of two neutrinos (2νΒΒ decay) which occurs independently of the nature of the neutrino. There was a long-standing difficulty in such attempts that the calculated 2νΒΒ decay rates turned out to be always too large by one to two orders of magnitude. Trying to overcome such difficulty, Klapdor and Grotz as well as Vogel and Zirnbauer showed in their calculation using schematic effective interactions such that 2νΒΒ decay rates can get reduced considerably due to the nuclear ground state correlations. This paper reports that the suppression is ascribed to that of the virtual Gamow-Teller transitions from the excited 1 + states of the intermediate odd-odd -even nucleus

With the increasing accessibility of nuclei far from stability, experimenters find themselves faced more and more often with complex β-decay schemes: nuclei with over 5 MeV of β-decay energy, exhibiting hundreds and perhaps thousands of transitions. A detailed level-by-level exposition of such schemes - for example, by studying β-delayed γ-rays - is at best prohibitively time consuming, and at worst actually impossible with current techniques. Furthermore, even if reliable schemes are obtained experimentally, their confrontation with theory is severely limited by the absence of theories sufficiently complete to account for such complex spectra. At best, it is the details of the first few excited states and the general features of the rest that are useful for comparison. From both points of view, experimental and theoretical, there is strong motivation to find a broader perspective, emphasizing these general features without being overwhelmed by a proliferation of detail

The Gamow-Teller transition of 46 Cr to the N = Z odd-odd nucleus 46 V has been observed for the first time. By means of β-γ coincidence measurements, a γ-ray peak at 993 keV corresponding to the decay of the 1 + 1 state in 46 V was observed. The branching ratio of the decay to this state was found to be b GT = 0.25 ± 0.050. The half-life of 46 Cr was measured to be T 1/2 = 240 ± 140 ms. The transition strength was determined to be B(GT) = 0.64 ± 0.20. This result was compared with theoretical calculations

A report of recent events in both theoretical and experimental aspects of double betadecay is given. General theoretical considerations, recent developments in nuclear structure theory, geochronological determinations of half lives and ratios as well as laboratory experiments are discussed with emphasis on the past three years. Some projections are given. 28 references

Calculations of the neutrinoless double-betadecay (0νββ) matrix elements are performed with the second quasi random phase approximation (SQRPA) method for several nuclei. The results display a weak dependence on the single particle basis used and the Ikeda sum rule is fulfilled with good accuracy. Comparing our calculations with similar ones performed with other QRPA-based methods we estimate the accuracy of these methods in the prediction of the (0νββ) decay matrix elements and neutrino mass parameter, which is settled to about 50% from their calculated values. Taking the most recent experimental limits for the neutrinoless double betadecay half-lives, we also deduced new limits for the neutrino mass parameter. (authors)

Neutrinoless double betadecay allows to constrain lepton number violating extensions of the standard model. If neutrinos are Majorana particles, the mass mechanism will always contribute to the decay rate, however, it is not a priori guaranteed to be the dominant contribution in all models. Here, we discuss whether the mass mechanism dominates or not from the theory point of view. We classify all possible (scalar-mediated) short-range contributions to the decay rate according to the loop level, at which the corresponding models will generate Majorana neutrino masses, and discuss the expected relative size of the different contributions to the decay rate in each class. Our discussion is general for models based on the SM group but does not cover models with an extended gauge. We also work out the phenomenology of one concrete 2-loop model in which both, mass mechanism and short-range diagram, might lead to competitive contributions, in some detail.

Decay spectroscopy is one of the oldest indirect methods in nuclear astrophysics. We have developed at TAMU techniques to measure beta- and beta-delayed proton decay of sd-shell, proton-rich nuclei. The short-lived radioactive species are produced in-flight, separated, then slowed down (from about 40 MeV/u) and implanted in the middle of very thin Si detectors. These allowed us to measure protons with energies as low as 200 keV from nuclei with lifetimes of 100 ms or less. At the same time we measure gamma-rays up to 8 MeV with high resolution HPGe detectors. We have studied the decay of {sup 23}Al, {sup 27}P, {sup 31}Cl, all important for understanding explosive H-burning in novae. The technique has shown a remarkable selectivity to beta-delayed charged-particle emission and works even at radioactive beam rates of a few pps. The states populated are resonances for the radiative proton capture reactions {sup 22}Na(p,{gamma}){sup 23}Mg(crucial for the depletion of {sup 22}Na in novae), {sup 26m}Al(p,{gamma}){sup 27}Si and {sup 30}P(p,{gamma}){sup 31}S(bottleneck in novae and XRB burning), respectively. More recently we have radically improved the technique using a gas based detector we call AstroBox.

Neutrino-less double betadecays(0νββ) are of great interest for studying the Majorana nature of ν's and the absolute ν-mass scale. The present report is a brief review of the 0νββ studies with emphasis on future experiments with the mass sensitivity of an order of 25∼100 meV and on experimental probes for investigating 0νββ nuclear matrix elements

The studies performed at the theoretical nuclear physics division of the Laboratory of Nuclear Studies, Osaka University, are reported. Electron spin density and internal conversion process, nuclear excitation by electron transition, betadecay, weak charged current, and beta-ray angular distributions in oriented nuclei have been studied. The relative intensity of internal conversion electrons for the case in which the radial wave functions of orbital electrons are different for electron spin up and down was calculated. The calculated value was in good agreement with the experimental one. The nuclear excitation following the transition of orbital electrons was studied. The calculated probability of the nuclear excitation of Os 189 was 1.4 x 10 - 7 in conformity with the experimental value 1.7 x 10 - 7 . The second class current and other problems on beta-decay have been extensively studied, and described elsewhere. Concerning weak charged current, the effects of all induced terms, the time component of main axial vector, all partial waves of leptons, Coulomb correction for the electrons in finite size nuclei, and radiative correction were studied. The beta-ray angular distribution for the 1 + -- 0 + transition in oriented B 12 and N 12 was investigated. In this connection, investigation on the weak magnetism to include all higher order corrections for the evaluation of the spectral shape factors was performed. Other works carried out by the author and his collaborators are also explained. (Kato, T.)

We present a new detection scheme for rejecting backgrounds in neutrino-less double betadecay experiments. It relies on the detection of Cherenkov light emitted by electrons in the MeV region. The momentum threshold is tuned to reach a good discrimination between background and good events. We consider many detector concepts and a range of target materials. The most promising is the high-pressure 136 Xe emitter where the required energy threshold is easily adjusted. Combination of this concept and a high pressure Time Projection Chamber could provide an optimal solution. A simple and low cost effective solution is the use of the Spherical Proportional Counter that provides, using a single read-out channel, two delayed signals from ionization and Cherenkov light. In solid-state double betadecay emitters, because of its higher density, the considered process is out of energy range. An escape will be the fabrication of double decay emitters having lower density by using for instance the aerogel technique. It is surprising that a technology used for particle identification in high-energy physics becomes a powerful tool for rejecting backgrounds in such low-energy experiments.

The motivation underlying the resurgence of interest in double betadecay is the hope that the observation of or limits on the 0-neutrino mode will provide information about the nature of the neutrino. This clearly requires confidence in the nuclear matrix elements involved in the transition. The shell model calculations do not agree well with the geochemical values for 130 Te, which has lead to a spate of papers offering specific fixes for the problem. In this contribution we shall not comment on any of the specific nuclear calculations, rather we make some remarks which should be relevant to any model calculation

Full Text Available Neutrino-less Double BetaDecay is the only known way to possibly resolve the nature of neutrino mass. The chances to cover the mass region predicted by the inverted hierarchy require a step forward in detector capability. A possibility is to make use of scintillating bolometers. These devices shall have a great power in distinguishing signals from alfa particles from those induced by electrons. This feature might lead to an almost background-free experiment. Here the Lucifer concept will be introduced and the prospects related to this project will be discussed.

Full Text Available The SNO+ experiment is the follow up of SNO. The detector is located 2 km underground in the Vale Canada Ltd.’s Creighton Mine near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The active volume of the detector consists of 780 tonnes of Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB in an acrylic vessel of 12 m diameter, surrounded by about 9500 PMTs. The main goal of the SNO+ experiment is the search for neutrinoless double betadecay of 130Te. With an initial loading of 0.3% of natural tellurium (nearly 800 kg of 130Te, it is expected to reach a sensitivity on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of about 100 meV after several years of data taking. Designed as a general purpose neutrino experiment, other exciting physical goals can be explored, like the measurement of reactor neutrino oscillations and geo-neutrinos in a geologically-interesting location, watch of supernova neutrinos and studies of solar neutrinos. A first commissioning phase with water filled detector will start at the end of 2013, while the double betadecay phase will start in 2015.

Neutrinoless double betadecay is a very important process both from the particle and nuclear physics point of view. From the elementary particle point of view it pops up in almost every model, giving rise among others to the following mechanisms: a) The traditional contributions like the light neutrino mass mechanism as well as the j L - j R leptonic interference (λ and η terms). b) The exotic R-parity violating supersymmetric (SUSY) contributions. From the nuclear physics point of view it is challenging, because: 1) The nuclei, which can undergo double betadecay, have complicated nuclear structure. 2) The energetically allowed transitions are suppressed (exhaust a small part of all the strength). 3) Since in some mechanisms the intermediate particles are very heavy one must cope with the short distance behavior of the transition operators. 4) The intermediate momenta involved are quite high and one has to consider momentum dependent terms of the nucleon current. Taking the above effects into account from the experimental limits on the interesting nuclei A=76, 82, 96, 100, 116, 128, 130, 136 and 150, we have extracted new limits on the various lepton violating parameters. In particular we get a stringent limit on the R-parity violating parameter λ' 111 -4 . (author)

This paper exposes in some detail the technical problems relating to the extraction of the vector coupling constant from the betadecay of complex nuclei. It also considers the extraction of the axial coupling constant from the beta-decay of the neutron. The internal consistency of all data relating to beta-decay, including that of the muon, is also examined, within the standard model, with a view to the possible intervention of W R . (Author) 52 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

The Germanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment searches for the neutrinoless double betadecay in 76Ge. This lepton number violating process is predicted by extensions of the standard model. Gerda follows a staged approach by increasing mass and lowering the background level from phase to phase. Gerda is setup at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory of INFN, Italy. An array of high-purity germanium detectors is lowered directly in liquid argon for shielding and cooling. Further background reduction is achieved by an instrumented water buffer. In Phase I an exposure of 21.6 kg yr was collected at a background level of 10-2 cts/(keV kg yr). The lower limit on the half-life of 76Ge > 2 . 1 .1025 yr (90% C.L.) has been published. Further analyses search for decay into excited states or the accompanied Majoron decay. Presently, Phase II is in preparation which intends to reach a background level of 10-3 cts/(keV kg yr) and to increase the exposure to 100 kg yr. About 20 kg of novel thick-window BEGe (Broad Energy Germanium) detectors will be added and the liquid argon will be instrumented. The status of Phase II preparation and results from the commissioning runs will be presented as well as some further results from Phase I.

The particle physics aspects of double betadecay and the theory of the phenomenon are briefly reviewed. The distinction between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos is drawn by comparing the neutrino that accompanies a negatively charged lepton in some hadronic decay process with that which accompanies a positively charged lepton in some other decay process. Two modes of double betadecay are examined - one emitting two neutrinos and the other emitting no neutrinos. What can be learned from the existing data on double betadecay is considered, de-emphasizing the question of bounds on neutrino mass and concentrating on the properties of the phenomenon itself. Possible future experiments are anticipated. 16 refs

In this work, the excited levels of 193 Ir populated by the beta - decay of 193 Os (T 1/2 ∼ 30h) were investigated. For that purpose, ∼ 5 mg samples of 99%-enriched 192 Os were irradiated under a thermal neutron flux of ∼ 10 12 s -1 and then analysed both using single gamma spectroscopy and a 4-detector multi parametric acquisition facility, which provided data for both a gamma gamma coincidence analysis and a directional angular correlation gamma gamma (θ ) study. From these data, 28 transitions were added to this decay scheme, 11 of which were previously known from nuclear reactions and 17 observed for the first time. Eight excited levels were also added to the decay scheme, 3 of which were known from nuclear reaction studies - the remaining 5 are suggested for the first time. Moreover, it was possible to confirm suspicions found in reference that the levels at 848.93 keV and 849.093 keV are indeed the same; it was also possible to confirm the existence of an excited level at 806.9 keV, which had been inferred, but not experimentally confirmed in betadecay studies to date. The angular correlation analysis allowed for the definition of the spin of the excited level at 874 keV as 5/2 +; moreover, the results showed a 79% probability that the spin of the 1078 keV level is 5/2/'-, and also restricted the spin possibilities for the new excited level at 960 keV to two values (1/2 or 3/2). It was also possible to measure the multipolarity mixing ratio (δ Ln+1 /L n ) for 43 transitions - 19 of them for the first time and most of the others with a better precision than previously known. Finally, an attempt was made to understand the low-lying levels structure for this nucleus using a theoretical model, which reproduced the ground state and the two lowest-lying excited levels in 193 Ir. (author)

A study is made of the validity of those methods consisting in an average of solutions from initial and final solutions within the quasi-particle random phase approximation (QRPA) for double betadecay. A new method is developed that works with a single QRPA equation for the intermediate nucleus in which the correlations of the ground state for β - transitions are β + and vice versa. Numerical results agree in the different formulations, which avails the known averaging procedures while showing the greater operative simplicity of the proposed method for the case of the two neutrino mode in which the diagonalization process may be substituted by a matrix inversion. (Author). 13 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

Double betadecay searches have become more and more important in the last few years. The 'second generation' experiments will allow to explore the inverse hierarchy region but, due to the uncertainties in the nuclear matrix elements, none of them will be able to cover completely the allowed region. Thus the need to investigate different DBD emitters becomes more important. The bolometric technique is only one able to study different nuclei with the proper energy resolution, key point for the future experiments. The possibility to reject the natural background arising from fast neutrons and alpha particles was recently directly proved with thermal bolometers, using the double read out (heat and scintillation). This new technique offers the possibility to reach background levels two orders of magnitude smaller with respect to the ones of the next planned experiments, aiming the possibility to investigate direct hierarchy region. (author)

In the first experiment at the newly constructed ISOLDE Facility the first-forbidden $\\beta$-decay of $^{17}$Ne into the first excited state of $^{17}$F has been measured. It is a factor two faster than the corresponding mirror decay and thus gives one of the largest recorded asymmetries for $\\beta$-decays feeding bound final states. Shell-model calculations can only reproduce the asymmetry if the halo structure of the $^{17}$F state is taken into account.

We review the current status of precision measurements in allowed nuclear betadecay, including neutron decay, with emphasis on their potential to look for new physics beyond the standard electroweak model. The experimental results are interpreted in the framework of phenomenological model-independent descriptions of nuclear betadecay as well as in some specific extensions of the standard model. The values of the standard couplings and the constraints on the exotic couplings of the general betadecay Hamiltonian are updated. For the ratio between the axial and the vector couplings we obtain C{sub A},/C{sub V} = -1.26992(69) under the standard model assumptions. Particular attention is devoted to the discussion of the sensitivity and complementarity of different precision experiments in direct betadecay. The prospects and the impact of recent developments of precision tools and of high intensity low energy beams are also addressed. (author)

We review the current status of precision measurements in allowed nuclear betadecay, including neutron decay, with emphasis on their potential to look for new physics beyond the standard electroweak model. The experimental results are interpreted in the framework of phenomenological model-independent descriptions of nuclear betadecay as well as in some specific extensions of the standard model. The values of the standard couplings and the constraints on the exotic couplings of the general betadecay Hamiltonian are updated. For the ratio between the axial and the vector couplings we obtain C A ,/C V = -1.26992(69) under the standard model assumptions. Particular attention is devoted to the discussion of the sensitivity and complementarity of different precision experiments in direct betadecay. The prospects and the impact of recent developments of precision tools and of high intensity low energy beams are also addressed. (author)

Neutrinoless double betadecay, which is a very old and yet elusive process, is reviewed. Its observation will signal that lepton number is not conserved and the neutrinos are Majorana particles. More importantly it is our best hope for determining the absolute neutrino mass scale at the level of a few tens of meV. To achieve the last goal certain hurdles have to be overcome involving particle, nuclear and experimental physics. Nuclear physics is important for extracting the useful information from the data. One must accurately evaluate the relevant nuclear matrix elements, a formidable task. To this end, we review the sophisticated nuclear structure approaches recently been developed, which give confidence that the needed nuclear matrix elements can be reliably calculated. From an experimental point of view it is challenging, since the life times are long and one has to fight against formidable backgrounds. If a signal is found, it will be a tremendous accomplishment. Then, of course, the real task is going ...

By using a field theory approach a detailed analysis of the two neutrino double betadecay amplitude has been performed. We have shown that the summation over the intermediate nuclear states in the present two neutrino double betadecay studies corresponds to a summation over a class of meson exchange diagrams. We offer some arguments showing that the two nucleon mechanism considered at present does not provide the main contribution to the two neutrino double betadecay amplitude. A new electron-gamma exchange mechanism for this process is suggested. 31 refs., 1 fig

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for inducing betadecay transition that are normally inhibited by angular momentum or parity considerations. According to one aspect of this invention a method of inducing nuclear betadecay transition comprises providing a medium which includes atomic nuclei that have forbidden betadecay transition in which the initial and final nuclear states do not have the same intrinsic parity or have total angular momenta which differ by more than one quantum unit of angular momentum, and applying to the medium an electromagnetic field which has an intensity sufficient to provide the angular momentum or intrinsic parity necessary to overcome the forbiddenness of the betadecay transition of the atomic nuclei, thereby to induce the betadecay transitions. According to another aspect of this invention an apparatus for inducing betadecay transition comprises a medium which includes atomic nuclei that have forbidden betadecay transitions in which the initial and final nuclear states do not have the same intrinsic parity or have total angular momenta which differ by more than one quantum unit of angular momentum, field producing means for producing an electromagnetic field in the medium and means for energising the field producing means to establish the field at an intensity sufficient to provide the angular momentum or intrinsic parity necessary to overcome the forbiddenness of the betadecay transitions of the atomic nuclei. The energy released in these induced nuclear transition is useful for the controlled production of power. The induced beta dacay transitions are also useful to reduce the halflives of long-lived fission product wastes from conventional nuclear fission power plants

We propose to perform a detailed study of the $\\beta$-decay of the dripline nucleus $^{20}$Mg. This will provide important information on resonances in $^{20}$Na relevant for the astrophysical rp-process as well as improved information for detailed comparison with state-of-the-art Shell-Model calculations and for comparison with the mirror $\\beta$-decay of $^{20}$O.

This paper is devoted to the discussion of some problems related with microscopic descriptions of the nuclear double betadecay. It has been organized in the following order: 1) Review of the experimental situation; 2) Brief discussion of the theoretical aspects related to the current algebra, weak interaction, neutrino and majoron's status and 3) Elements of the standard nuclear theory involved in the calculation of transition densities for the nuclear double betadecay. (Author) [es

The subject of this presentation is at the forefront of nuclear physics, namely double betadecay. In particular one is most interested in the neutrinoless process of double betadecay, when the decay proceeds without the emission of two neutrinos. The observation of such decay would mean that the lepton conservation symmetry is violated and that the neutrinos are of Majorana type, meaning that they are their own anti-particles. The life time of this process has two unknowns, the mass of the neutrino and the nuclear matrix element. Determining the nuclear matrix element and knowing the cross-section well will set limits on the neutrino mass. There is a concentrated effort among the nuclear physics community to calculate this matrix element. Usually these matrix elements are a very small part of the total strength of the transition operators involved in the process. There is no simple way to “calibrate” the nuclear double betadecay matrix element. The double betadecay is a double charge exchange process, therefore it is proposed that double charge exchange reactions using ion projectiles on nuclei that are candidates for double betadecay, will provide additional necessary information about the nuclear matrix elements.

Program BETA is designed for simulation of particle decays and reactions. The program also produces integration over the phase space and decay rate or the reaction cross section are calculated as a result of such integration. At the simulation process the adaptive random number generator SMART may be used, what is found to be useful for some difficult cases

Microscopic beta and gamma data for decay-heat needs are defined as absolute-intensity spectral distributions of beta and gamma rays following radioactive decay of radionuclides created by, or following, the fission process. Four well-known evaluated data files, namely the US ENDF/B-V, the UK UKFPDD-2, the French BDN (for fission products), and the Japanese JNDC Nuclear Data Library, are reviewed. Comments regarding the analyses of experimental data (particularly gamma-ray data) are given; the need for complete beta-ray spectral measurements is emphasized. Suggestions on goals for near-term future experimental measurements are presented. 34 references

Some explanations for the excess of matter over antimatter in the universe involve sources of time reversal violation (TRV) in addition to the one known in the standard model of particle physics. We plan to search for TRV in a correlation between the momenta of the beta, neutrino, and the radiative gamma sometimes emitted in nuclear betadecay. Correlations involving three (out of four) momenta are sensitive at lowest order to different TRV physics than observables involving spin, such as electric dipole moments and spin-polarized betadecay correlations. Such experiments have been done in radiative kaon decay, but not in systems involving the lightest generation of quarks. An explicit low-energy physics model being tested produces TRV effects in the Fermi betadecay of the neutron, tritium, or some positron-decaying isotopes. We will present plans to measure the TRV asymmetry in radiative betadecay of laser-trapped 38mK at better than 0.01 sensitivity, including suppression of background from positron annihilation. Supported by NSERC, D.O.E., Israel Science Foundation. TRIUMF receives federal funding via a contribution agreement with the National Research Council of Canada.

I shall present a pedagogical discussion of hyperon semileptonic decays, covering some of the historical background, the basics notions of hyperon semileptonic decays, deeply inelastic scattering and the CKM matrix, and the description of SU(2) and SU(3) breaking. I shall also present a prediction for a process under current experimental study. (author)

Full text: In nature there are about 50 nuclear systems where the single beta-decay is energetically forbidden, and double- betadecay turns out to be only possible mode of disintegration. It is the nuclear pairing force which causes such an 'anomaly', by making the mass of the odd-odd isobar, (N - 1;Z + 1), to be greater than the masses of its even-even neighbors, (N;Z) and (N - 2;Z +2). The modes by which the double-betadecay can take place are connected with the neutrino and antineutrino distinction. In case the lepton number is strictly conserved the neutrino is a Dirac fermion and the two-neutrino mode is the only possible mode of disintegration. On the other hand, if this conservation is violated, the neutrino is a Majorana particle and neutrinoless double-betadecay also can occur. Both two-neutrino and neutrinoless double-betadecay processes have attracted much attention, because a comparison between experiment and theory for the first, provides a measure of confidence one may have in the nuclear wave function employed for extracting the unknown parameters from neutrinoless lifetime measurements. The proton-neutron (pn) quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) has turned out be the most simple model for calculating the nuclear wave function involved in the double-betadecay transitions. In this work the transition matrix elements for 0 + -> 0 + double-betadecay are calculated for 48 Ca, 76 Ge, 82 Se, 100 Mo, 128 Te and 130 Te nuclei, using a relativistic pn-QRPA based on Hartree-Bogoliubov approximation to the single-particle motion. (author)

Full text: In nature there are about 50 nuclear systems where the single beta-decay is energetically forbidden, and double-betadecay turns out to be only possible mode of disintegration. It is the nuclear pairing force which causes such an 'anomaly', by making the mass of the odd-odd isobar, (N - 1;Z + 1), to be greater than the masses of its even-even neighbors, (N;Z) and (N - 2;Z +2). The modes by which the double-betadecay can take place are connected with the neutrino and antineutrino distinction. In case the lepton number is strictly conserved the neutrino is a Dirac fermion and the two-neutrino mode is the only possible mode of disintegration. On the other hand, if this conservation is violated, the neutrino is a Majorana particle and neutrinoless double-betadecay also can occur. Both two-neutrino and neutrinoless double-betadecay processes have attracted much attention, because a comparison between experiment and theory for the first, provides a measure of confidence one may have in the nuclear wave function employed for extracting the unknown parameters from neutrinoless lifetime measurements. The proton-neutron (pn) quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) has turned out be the most simple model for calculating the nuclear wave function involved in the double-betadecay transitions. In this work the transition matrix elements for 0 + → 0 + double-betadecay are calculated for 48 Ca, 76 Ge, 82 Se, 100 Mo, 128 Te and 130 Te nuclei, using a relativistic pn-QRPA based on Hartree-Bogoliubov approximation to the single-particle motion. (author)

The {beta}-decay Paul trap is a linear radiofrequency-quadrupole ion trap that has been developed for precision {beta}-decay studies. The design of the trap electrodes allows a variety of radiation detectors to surround the cloud of trapped ions. The momentum of the low-energy recoiling daughter nuclei following {beta} decay is negligibly perturbed by scattering and is available for study. This advantageous property of traps allows the kinematics of particles that are difficult or even impossible to directly detect to be precisely reconstructed using conservation of energy and momentum. An ion-trap system offers several advantages over atom traps, such as higher trapping efficiencies and element-independent capabilities. The first precision experiment using this system is a measurement of {beta}-decay angular correlations in the decay of {sup 8}Li performed by inferring the momentum of the neutrino from the kinematic shifts imparted to the breakup {alpha} particles. Many other {beta}-decay studies that would benefit from a determination of the nuclear recoil can be performed with this system.

We present for the first time precise spectroscopic information on the recently discovered decay mode beta-delayed 3p-emission. The detection of the 3p events gives an increased sensitivity to the high energy part of the Gamow-Teller strength distribution from the decay of 31Ar revealing that as ...... that as much as 30% of the strength resides in the beta-3p decay mode. A simplified description of how the main decay modes evolve as the excitation energy increases in 31Cl is provided....

Limits on the tensor couplings generating a Fierz interference term, b, in mixed Gamow-Teller Fermi decays can be derived by combining data from measurements of angular correlation parameters in neutron decay, the neutron lifetime, and $G_{\\text{V}}=G_{\\text{F}} V_{ud}$ as extracted from measurements of the $\\mathcal{F}t$ values from the $0^{+} \\to 0^{+}$ superallowed decays dataset. These limits are derived by comparing the neutron $\\beta$-decay rate as predicted in the standard model with t...

The interest and relevance of next-generation 0{sub v} {beta}{beta}-decay experiments is increasing. Even with nonzero neutrino mass strongly suggested by solar and atmospheric neutrino experiments sensitive to {delta}m{sup 2}, 0{sub v} {beta}{beta}-decay experiments are still the only way to establish the Dirac or Majorana nature of neutrinos by measuring the effective electron neutrino mass, . In addition, the atmospheric neutrino oscillation experiments imply that at least one neutrino has a mass greater than about 50 meV. The Majorana Experiment expects to probe an effective neutrino mass near this critical value. Majorana is a next-generation {sup 76}Ge double-betadecay search. It will employ 500 kg of Ge, isotopically enriched to 86% in {sup 76}Ge, in the form of {approx} 200 detectors in a close-packed array. Each crystal will be electronically segmented and each segment fitted with pulse-shape analysis electronics. This combination of segmentation and pulse-shape analysis significantly improves our ability to discriminate neutrinoless double beta-decay from internal cosmogenic {sup 68}Ge and {sup 60}Co. The half-life sensitivity is estimated to be 4.2 x 10{sup 27} y corresponding to a range of {<=} 20 - 70 meV, depending on the nuclear matrix elements used to interpret the data.

Neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) is one of the most sensitive approaches to test particle physics beyond the standard model. During the last years, besides the most restrictive limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass, the analysis of new contributions by the Heidelberg group led to bounds on left-right-symmetric models, leptoquarks and R-parity violating models competitive to recent accelerator limits, which are of special interest in view of the HERA anomaly at large Q 2 and x. These new results deduced from the Heidelberg-Moscow double betadecay experiment are reviewed. Also an outlook on the future of double betadecay, the GENIUS proposal, is given

The goal of the present proposal is to study $\\beta$-delayed neutron decay branch of $^{8}$He. The energy spectra of the emitted neutrons will be measured in the energy range of 0.1 – 6 MeV using the VANDLE spectrometer. Using coincident $\\gamma$-ray measurement, components of the spectrum corresponding to transitions to the ground- and first- excited states of $^{7}$Li will be disentangled. The new data will allow us to get a more complete picture of the $\\beta$-decay of $^{8}$He and to clarify the discrepancy between the B(GT) distributions derived from the $\\beta$-decay and $^{8}$He(p, n)$^{8}$Li reaction studies.

NEXT-100 is an electroluminescent high-pressure xenon gas time projection chamber that will search for the neutrinoless double betadecay of Xe-136. The detector possesses two features of great value in neutrinoless double betadecay searches: very good energy resolution (better than 1% FWHM at the Q value of Xe-136) and track reconstruction for the discrimination of signal and background events. This combination results in excellent sensitivity, as discussed in this paper. Detailed Monte Carlo detector simulations and material-screening measurements predict a background rate for NEXT-100 of at most 0.0004 counts/(keV kg yr). Accordingly, the detector will reach a sensitivity to the neutrinoless double betadecay half-life of 6.E25 years after running for 3 effective years.

The β decay of /sup 39/Cl, produced in the /sup 37/Cl(t,p)/sup 39/Cl reaction at E/sub t/ = 3.1 MeV, has been investigated with a Ge-NaI(Tl) Compton-suppression γ-ray spectrometer. Nineteen γ-ray transitions were observed, including 10 previously known. Precision energy measurements were carried out on six of the strongest lines. In the proposed decay scheme a weak new β-ray branch is established to the 2950-keV level of /sup 39/Ar, and the populations of /sup 39/Ar levels at 2093 and 2433 keV are accounted for by γ-ray decays from higher excited states. Spin-parity assignments are given

The β-decay of 102 Sn was studied by using high-resolution germanium detectors as well as a Total Absorption Spectrometer (TAS). A decay scheme has been constructed based on the γ-γ coincidence data. The total experimental Gamow-Teller strength B GT exp of 102 Sn was deduced from the TAS data to be 4.2(9). A search for β-delayed γ-rays of 100 Sn decay remained unsuccessful. However, a Gamow-Teller hindrance factor h = 2.2(3), and a cross-section of about 3nb for the production of 100 Sn in fusion-evaporation reaction between 58 Ni beam and 50 Cr target have been estimated from the data on heavier tin isotopes. The estimated hindrance factor is similar to the values derived for lower shell nuclei

31,32 Na and 31 Mg betadecays were studied at the CERN on-line mass separator ISOLDE by gamma, gamma-gamma and neutron-gamma measurements. In the 31 Na decay, the assignment of previously reported γ transitions and the observation of a new level at 3760 keV lead to a revised decay scheme. In the 31 Mg → 31 Al decay, a new decay scheme involves ten β branches and three states are reported for the first time. New spectroscopic results have been obtained in the 32 Na β - decay. A previously non-interpreted 1436 keV γ ray is now assigned in the 32 Mg scheme. (author) 33 refs., 16 figs., 12 tabs

By measuring positrons and β-delayed γ-rays emitted from mass-separated sources, the decay of 56 Cu(4 + ,T z =-1,T=1) to states in the doubly-magic nucleus 56 Ni was studied for the first time. The half-life of 56 Cu was measured to be 78(15) ms, and four β-delayed γ-rays were assigned to its decay. The resulting experimental data on Fermi and Gamow-Teller strength are compared with shell-model predictions. (orig.)

We are proposing a high-resolution study of the $\\beta$-decay of $^{74}$Rb in order to extrapolate our precision knowledge of the superallowed $\\beta$-decays from the sd and fp shells towards the medium-heavy Z=N nuclei. The primary goal is to provide new data for testing the CVC hypothesis and the unitarity condition of the CKM matrix of the Standard Model. The presented programme would involve the careful measurements of the decay properties of $^{74}$Rb including the branching ratios to the excited states as well as the precise determination of the decay energy of $^{74}$Rb. The experimental methods readily available at ISOLDE include high-transmission conversion electron spectroscopy, $\\gamma$-ray spectroscopy as well as the measurements of the masses of $^{74}$Rb and $^{74}$Kr using two complementary techniques, ISOLTRAP and MISTRAL. The experiment would rely on a high-quality $^{74}$Rb beam available at ISOLDE with adequate intensity.

The recent results from the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment have demonstrated the large potential of double betadecay to search for new physics beyond the standard model. To increase further by a major step the present sensitivity for double betadecay and dark matter searches, we describe here a project, proposed recently [1], which would operate one tonne of 'naked' enriched germanium-detectors in liquid nitrogen as shielding in an underground set-up (GENIUS). It improves the sensitivity of neutrino masses to 0.01 eV. A 10 tonne version would probe neutrino masses even down to 10 -3 eV

Betadecay data of nuclei far from stability are one of the most important nuclear physics input for the understanding of the element systhesis in the universe and determination of the age of the universe from cosmochronometers and by the latter have implications also for cosmology. The present status of theoretical predictions of betadecay far from stability will be reviewed and the impact on the above astrophysical questions will be outlined. First results of second generation microscopic calculations of β F half lives, which are at present in progress, will be presented. (orig.)

This article reviews the relationship between the observables in neutron beta-decay and the accepted modern theory of particle physics known as the Standard Model. Recent neutron-decay measurements of various mixed American-British-French-German-Russian collaborations try to shed light on the following topics: the coupling strength of charged weak currents, the universality of the electroweak interaction and the origin of parity violation.

Improved measurements of the pion betadecay rate are possible with an intense high-energy pion beam. The rate for the decay π + → π 0 e + vε is predicted by the Standard Model (SM) to be R(π + → π 0 e + vε) = 0.3999±0.0005 s -1 . The best experimental number, obtained using in-flight decays, is R(π + → π 0 e + vε) = 0.394 ± 0.015 s -1 . A precise measurement would test the SM by testing the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix for which one analysis of the nuclear betadecay data has shown a 0.4% discrepancy. Several nuclear correction factors, needed for nuclear decay, are not present for pion betadecay, so that an experiment at the 0.2% level would be a significant one. Detailed study of possible designs will be needed, as well as extensive testing of components. The reduction of systematic errors to the 0.1% level can only be done over a period of years with a highly stable apparatus and beam. At a minimum, three years of occupancy of a beam line, with 800 hours per year, would be required

Nuclear β decay can be instrumental to electroweak unification studies by observation of the degree of longitudinal polarization of β rays from allowed Fermi and from allowed Gamow-Teller decays. Possible deviations from maximality of this polarization bear on a fundamental question: is there a manifest left-right symmetry, indicated by right-handed currents and V+A admixture to a dominant V-A interaction? Discussed are absolute β - and relative β + measurements. The β - measurements are of long-standing age; the β + measurements are recent and not yet fully analyzed. A striking consequence of the polarization may be an intimate relation with the origin of life: can it be that the chirality of biomolecules is determined by the longitudinal polarization of β rays? 20 references, 9 figures

A β decay experiment is proposed for testing Bell's inequality, related to hidden-variables alternatives to quantum mechanics. The experiment uses Mott scattering for spin polarization analysis of internal conversion electrons. Beta-decay electrons, in cascade with the conversion electrons, are longitudinally polarized due to parity violation in the weak interaction. So simply detecting the β electron direction effectively measures the spin. A two-particle spin-spin correlation can thus be investigated and related, within certain assumptions, to Bell's inequality. The example of 203 Hg decay is used for a calculation of expected results. Specific problems related to nuclear structure and experimental inconsistencies are also discussed

JENDL FP Decay Data File 2000 has been developed as one of the special purpose files of the Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library (JENDL), which constitutes a versatile nuclear data basis for science and technology. In the format of ENDF-6 this file includes the decay data for 1087 unstable fission product (FP) nuclides and 142 stable nuclides as their daughters. The primary purpose of this file is to use in the summation calculation of FP decay heat, which plays a critical role in nuclear safety analysis; the loss-of-coolant accident analysis of reactors, for example. The data for a given nuclide are its decay modes, the Q value, the branching ratios, the average energies released in the form of beta- and gamma-rays per decay, and their spectral data. The primary source of the decay data adopted here is the ENSDF (Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File). The data in ENSDF, however, cover only the measured values. The data of the short-lived nuclides, which are essential for the decay heat calculations at short cooling times, are often fully lacking or incomplete even if they exist. This is mainly because of their short half-life nature. For such nuclides a theoretical model calculation is applied in order to fill the gaps between the true and the experimentally known decay schemes. In practice we have to predict the average decay energies and the spectral data for a lot of short-lived FPs by use of beta-decay theories. Thus the beta-decay theory plays a very important role in generating the FP decay data file

The decay rate of neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay could be dominated by Lepton Number Violating (LNV) short-range diagrams involving only heavy scalar intermediate particles, known as “topology-II” diagrams. Examples are diagrams with diquarks, leptoquarks or charged scalars. Here, we compare the LNV discovery potentials of the LHC and 0νββ-decay experiments, resorting to three example models, which cover the range of the optimistic-pessimistic cases for 0νββ decay. We use the LHC constraints from dijet as well as leptoquark searches and find that already with 20/fb the LHC will test interesting parts of the parameter space of these models, not excluded by the current limits on 0νββ-decay.

The decay rate of neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay could be dominated by Lepton Number Violating (LNV) short-range diagrams involving only heavy scalar intermediate particles, known as “topology-II” diagrams. Examples are diagrams with diquarks, leptoquarks or charged scalars. Here, we compare the LNV discovery potentials of the LHC and 0νββ-decay experiments, resorting to three example models, which cover the range of the optimistic-pessimistic cases for 0νββ decay. We use the LHC constraints from dijet as well as leptoquark searches and find that already with 20/fb the LHC will test interesting parts of the parameter space of these models, not excluded by the current limits on 0νββ-decay.

Data taking is now complete on a double betadecay experiment which has been carried out with collaborators from the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, the University of New Mexico, and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, and work is continuing on a second collaborative experiment, AGS experiment 850 at the Brookhaven National Laboratory to study nuclear color transparency. In March, the experimental apparatus used to search for double betadecay in molybdenum 100 in the Consil silver mine in Osburn, Idaho was dismantled, and the data analysis is in its final stages. No evidence has been seen for the O + → O + mode of zero neutrino double betadecay collaborators with a 1σ lifetime limit of 3 x 10 22 years. This limit is 7.5 times greater than the limit we published previously in Physical Review Letters in 1989. Backgrounds have been simulated and fits are currently underway to a simulated O + → 2 + mode of zero neutrino double betadecay to improve on a very preliminary 1σ lifetime limit of 2.3 x 10 21 years presented at the April, 1992 meeting of the APS in Washington. A scintillating fiber detector with three Hamamatsu, H4140, 256 channel multianode phototubes has been built, instrumented, and tested in the May--July 1992 run in the EVA detector at Brookhaven Laboratory's AGS. Preliminary results from this detector have been disappointing. it is likely that the detector will have to be substantially redesigned before the 1993 AGS run

After motivating searches of double betadecay and lepton number violation details about the construction, operation and analysis of GERDA will be given. Results of the recently completed phase I of data taking will then be presented and interpreted. Finally an outlook on future plans will be given.

The Majorana collaboration is actively pursuing research and development aimed at a tonne-scale 76Ge neutrinoless double-betadecay experiment, an R&D effort that will field approximately 40 kg of germanium detectors with mixed enrichment levels. This article provides a status update on the construction of the Demonstrator

Models of the unification of the electroweak and the strong interaction predict that the neutrino is a Majorana particle and therefore essentially identical with its own antiparticle. In such grand unified models the neutrino has also a finite mass and a slight right-handed weak interaction, since the model is left-right symmetric. These models have also left handed and right-handed vector bosons to mediate the weak interactions. If these models are correct the neutrinoless double beta-decay is feasable. Thus if one finds the neutrinoless double beta-decay one knows that the standard model can not be correct in which the neutrino is a Dirac particle and therefore different from its antiparticle. Although the neutrinoless double beta-decay has not been seen it is possible to extract from the lower limits of the lifetime against the double neutrinoless beta-decay upper limits for the effective electron-neutrino mass and for the effective mixing angle of the right-handed and the left-handed vector bosons mediating the weak interaction. One also can obtain an effective upper limit for the mass ratio of the light and the heavy vector bosons. The extraction of this physical quantities from the data is made difficult due to the fact that the weak interaction must not be diagonal in the representation of the mass matrix of the six neutrinos requested by such left-right symmetric models. (author)

Full Text Available Beta-decay of the nucleus 125I and spectroscopic characteristics of the daughter nucleus are described within the framework of the dynamic collective model. Quasiparticle and multiphonon states, as well as vacuum fluctuations of quasiparticles are taken into account. The comparison of the results of calculations with the available experimental data is performed.

Two real, analytical, approximations for the square of the modulus of the complex gamma function as it appears in F(Z, W), the Fermi function for beta-decay, are evaluated; an accuracy bettering 10 -4 % can easily be achieved for all electron energies throughout the periodic table. (author). 3 refs., 1 tab., 7 figs

I review recent work on computing double betadecay rates. After a discussion of shell model and Quasiparticle Random Phase calculations, I argue for a model based on the notion of generalized seniority that combines the advantages of both earlier approaches. (orig.)

The computer code developed by our group some years ago for the evaluation of nuclear matrix elements, within the QRPA and PQRPA nuclear structure models, involved in neutrino-nucleus reactions, muon capture and β{sup ±} processes, is extended to include also the nuclear double betadecay.

Neutrinoless double-betadecay is forbidden in the Standard Model of electroweak and strong interaction but allowed in most Grand Unified Theories (GUTs). Only if the neutrino is a Majorana particle (identical with its antiparticle) and if it has a mass is neutrinoless double-betadecay allowed. Apart from one claim that the neutrinoless double-betadecay in 76 Ge is measured, one has only upper limits for this transition probability. But even the upper limits allow one to give upper limits for the electron Majorana neutrino mass and upper limits for parameters of GUTs and the minimal R-parity-violating supersymmetric model. One further can give lower limits for the vector boson mediating mainly the right-handed weak interaction and the heavy mainly right-handed Majorana neutrino in left-right symmetric GUTs. For that, one has to assume that the specific mechanism is the leading one for neutrinoless double-betadecay and one has to be able to calculate reliably the corresponding nuclear matrix elements. In the present work, one discusses the accuracy of the present status of calculating of the nuclear matrix elements and the corresponding limits of GUTs and supersymmetric parameters

Reviewed is the modern state of experiments on β decay of polarized nuclei from the point of view of studying the structure of the effective hamiltonian of the weak interaction and the peculiarities of series of isobaric states of the p anti n and n anti p type. Considered are the problems on realization of the complete experiment and of the evaluation of the contribution of the S and T variants of β interaction, the experiments on second class currents and the information on the structure of isobaric series with various moments: 0+-, 1+-, 2-. The main attention is paid to new possibilities on the experiments with polarized nuclei at the SPIN device

The status of searches for massive neutrinos in nuclear betadecay is reviewed. The claim by an ITEP group that the electron antineutrino mass > 17eV has been disputed by all the subsequent experiments. Current measurements of the tritium beta spectrum limit m bar νe < 10 eV. The status of the 17 keV neutrino is reviewed. The strong null results from INS Tokyo and Argonne, and deficiencies in the experiments which reported positive effects, make it unreasonable to ascribe the spectral distortions seen by Simpson, Hime, and others to a 17keV neutrino. Several new ideas on how to search for massive neutrinos in nuclear betadecay are discussed

It is proposed to perform a precision study of the $\\beta$-decay of $\\,^{62}$Ga taking advantage of recent developments of the ISOLDE Laser Ion Source. The goal is to eventually extend the high-precision knowledge of superallowed $\\beta$-decays beyond the nine decays that presently are used for extracting the V$_{ud}$ quark mixing matrix element of the CKM matrix. The scientific motivations are the current deviation of more than 2$\\sigma$ of the unitary condition of this matrix, which could be an indication of non-standard-model physics, and a test of the theoretical corrections applied to the experimental data. The experiment will utilise the Total Absorption $\\gamma$-ray (TAG) spectrometer in order to determine weak branchings to excited states in $^{62}$Zn and the ISOLDE spectroscopy station to perform half-life measurements and detailed spectroscopy of this nucleus.

It is well known that neutrinoless double decay is going to play a crucial role in settling the neutrino properties, which cannot be extracted from the neutrino oscillation data. It is, in particular, expected to settle the absolute scale of neutrino mass and determine whether the neutrinos are Majorana particles, i.e. they coincide with their own antiparticles. In order to extract the average neutrino mass from the data one must be able to estimate the contribution all possible high mass intermediate particles. The latter, which occur in practically all extensions of the standard model, can, in principle, be differentiated from the usual mass term, if data from various targets are available. One, however, must first be able reliably calculate the corresponding nuclear matrix elements. Such calculations are extremely difficult since the effective transition operators are very short ranged. For such operators processes like pionic contributions, which are usually negligible, turn out to be dominant. We study s...

Under certain conditions, it is possible to produce vector-polarized radioactive nuclei in reactions with a polarized projectile and an unpolarized target. Using the intense polarized beams at the University of Wisconsin, the authors have begun a program to study the weak interaction through the betadecay of polarized nuclei produced in this way. Such experiments bear on tests of CVC in light nuclei, sensitive searches for second-class weak currents, and measurements of the weak vector-coupling constant. One may also deduce the values of certain matrix elements. Our effort is presently centering on a study of the energy dependence of the beta-decay asymmetry of 8 Li

Two previous independent reports of 2νββ-decay by the ITEP-YPI collaboration, T 2ν 1/2 = (9 ± 1) x 10 20 yr (1σ), were confirmed using a 0.25 Kg Ge(Li) detector isotopically enriched to 86% in 76 Ge. The detector was operated in the PNL-USC ultralow background facility in the Homestake gold mine for 168 days. Following a single correction to the data, a spectrum resembling that of the earlier PNL-USC experiment, with about the same intensity per 76 Ge atom, per year, was observed with a measured half life of T 2ν 1/2 = (9.2 +0.7 -0.2 ) x 10 21 y (90% C.L.), by observing the 590.76 and 539.53 keV gamma rays emitted in the 0 + 1 → 2 + → 0 + de-excitation cascade. A review of the most relevant nuclear structure calculations is given, and their predictions are compared to the measurements from the present two experiments

The isotopic composition of xenon is reported in four, neutron-irradiated tellurium minerals - tellurobismuthite from Boliden, Sweden, native tellurium from the Good Hope Mine of Gunnison County, Colorado, altaite from the Kirkland Lake area, Ontario, and altaite from the Mattagami Lake area, Quebec. From the amount of radiogenic 130 Xe and pile-produced 131 Xe in these samples, it is concluded that the half-life of 130 Te for ββ-decay is 21 y based on measured values of (1.0+-0.3) . 10 21 y and higher. Our results demonstrate that there has been no significant partial leakage of radiogenic 130 Xe from these minerals over geologic time. Larger values of Tsub(1/2), as indicated from some of the analysis reported here and in other studies, are attributed to recrystallization of the soft telluride minerals and complete resetting of the Te-Xe system after mineralization. The value obtained here for the half-life of 130 Te is substantiated by recent measurements on xenon in tellurides from Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. (orig.)

While an observation of neutrinoless double-betadecay in upcoming experiments will establish that the neutrinos are Majorana particles, the underlying new physics responsible for this decay can only be constrained if the theoretical predictions of the rate are substantially refined. This talk demonstrates the roadmap in connecting the underlying high-scale theory to the corresponding nuclear matrix elements, focusing mainly on the nucleonic matrix elements in the simplest extension of Standard Model in which a light Majorana neutrino is mediating the process. The role of lattice QCD and effective field theory in this program, in particular, the prospect of a direct matching of the nn to pp amplitude to lattice QCD will be discussed. As a first step towards this goal, the results of the first lattice QCD calculation of the relevant matrix element for neutrinofull double-betadecay will be presented, albeit with unphysical quark masses, along with important lessons that could impact the calculations of nuclear matrix elements involved in double-betadecays of realistic nuclei.

The triple-product correlations observable in ordinary neutron or nuclear betadecay are all naively T violating and can connect, through an assumption of CPT invariance, to constraints on sources of CP violation beyond the Standard Model. They are also spin dependent. In this context the study of radiative betadecay opens a new possibility, in that a triple-product correlation can be constructed from momenta alone. Consequently its measurement would constrain new spin-independent sources of CP violation. We will describe these in light of the size of the triple momentum correlation in the decay rate arising from electromagnetic final-state interactions in the Standard Model. Our expression for the corresponding T-odd asymmetry is exact in O({alpha}) up to terms of recoil order, and we evaluate it numerically under various kinematic conditions. We consider the pattern of the asymmetries in nuclear {beta} decays and show that the asymmetry can be suppressed in particular cases, facilitating searches for new sources of CP violation in such processes.

A theoretical study has been carried out on beta-decay rate and beta-delayed neutron emission probability. The gross theory of the betadecay is based on an idea of the sum rule of the beta-decay strength function, and has succeeded in describing beta-decay half-lives of nuclei overall nuclear mass region. The gross theory includes not only the allowed transition as the Fermi and the Gamow-Teller, but also the first-forbidden transition. In this work, some improvements are introduced as the nuclear shell correction on nuclear level densities and the nuclear deformation for nuclear strength functions, those effects were not included in the original gross theory. The shell energy and the nuclear deformation for unmeasured nuclei are adopted from the KTUY nuclear mass formula, which is based on the spherical-basis method. Considering the properties of the integrated Fermi function, we can roughly categorized energy region of excited-state of a daughter nucleus into three regions: a highly-excited energy region, which fully affect a delayed neutron probability, a middle energy region, which is estimated to contribute the decay heat, and a region neighboring the ground-state, which determines the beta-decay rate. Some results will be given in the presentation. A theoretical study has been carried out on beta-decay rate and beta-delayed neutron emission probability. The gross theory of the betadecay is based on an idea of the sum rule of the beta-decay strength function, and has succeeded in describing beta-decay half-lives of nuclei overall nuclear mass region. The gross theory includes not only the allowed transition as the Fermi and the Gamow-Teller, but also the first-forbidden transition. In this work, some improvements are introduced as the nuclear shell correction on nuclear level densities and the nuclear deformation for nuclear strength functions, those effects were not included in the original gross theory. The shell energy and the nuclear deformation for

Neutrinoless double beta (0νββ)-decay is the key process to gain understanding of the nature of neutrinos. The GErmanium Detector Array (GERDA) is designed to search for 0νββ-decay of the isotope 76 Ge. Germanium crystals enriched in 76 Ge, acting as source and detector simultaneously, will be submerged directly into an ultra pure cooling medium that also serves as a radiation shield. This concept will allow for a reduction of the background by up to two orders of magnitudes with respect to earlier experiments

We report the results of an improved determination of the triple correlation DP·(p e xp v ) that can be used to limit possible time-reversal invariance in the betadecay of polarized neutrons and constrain extensions to the standard model. Our result is D=[-0.96±1.89(stat)±1.01(sys)]x10 -4 . The corresponding phase between g A and g V is φ AV =180.013 deg. ±0.028 deg. (68% confidence level). This result represents the most sensitive measurement of D in nuclear β decay.

For detecting the nuclear double betadecay of 136 Xe, a liquid-xenon positive-ion collector and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer are under development for detecting the decay product 136 Ba. Two sets of lasers are used with the mass spectrometer. An Nd-YAG laser is used for sampling 136 Ba from the surface of the positive-ion collector electrode, and a dye laser pumped by an Nd-YAG laser is used for the selective ionization of 136 Ba. The principle of measurements as well as the experimental apparatus and procedures are described in detail, together with our future plans. (orig.)

We propose to study the ${\\beta}$-decay of $^{12}$B with a modern segmented Si-detector array to get new and much improved information on states in $^{12}$C above the ${\\alpha}$-threshold. These states mainly decay into final states of three ${\\alpha}$-particles and their study therefore is a challenge for nuclear spectroscopy. The properties of these states is of high current interest for nuclear astrophysics and for the nuclear many-body problem in general. We ask for a total of 15 shifts.

A generalized-seniority truncation scheme is used in shell-model calculations of double betadecay matrix elements. Calculations are carried out for 78 Ge, 82 Se and 128,130 Te. Matrix elements calculated for the two-neutrino decay mode are small compared to weak-coupling shell-model calculations and support the suppression mechanism first observed in the quasi-particle random phase approximation. Matrix elements for the neutrinoless mode are similar to those of the weak-coupling shell model, suggesting that these matrix elements can be pinned down fairly accurately. (orig.)

The neutrinoless double betadecay is one of the few phenomena, belonging to the nonstandard physics, which is extensively being sought for in experiments. In the present paper the link between the half-life of the neutrinoless double betadecay and theories with large extra dimensions is explored. The use of the sensitivities of currently planned 0ν2β experiments: DAMA, CANDLES, COBRA, DCBA, CAMEO, GENIUS, GEM, MAJORANA, MOON, CUORE, EXO, and XMASS, gives the possibility for a nondirect 'experimental' verification of various extra dimensional scenarios. We discuss also the results of the Heidelberg-Moscow Collaboration. The calculations are based on the Majorana neutrino mass generation mechanism in the Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali model

$\\beta$-decay experiments are a primary source of information for nuclear-structure studies and at the same time complementary to in- beam investigations of nuclei far from stability. Although both types of experiment are mainly based on $\\gamma$-ray spectroscopy, they face different experimental problems. The so-called " Pandemonium effect " is a critical problem in $\\beta$-decay if we are to test theoretically calculated transition probabilities. In this contribution we will present a solution to this problem using total absorption spectroscopy methods. We will also present some examples of experiments carried out with the Total Absorption Spectrometer (TAS) at GSI and describe a new device LUCRECIA recently installed at CERN.

The search for neutrinoless double betadecay might be the only window to observe lepton number violation and to determine the nature of neutrinos. Is is therefore considered to be of highest relevance. The isotope Ge-76 has historically been most important for this search and the ongoing experiment GERDA has the lowest background of all experiments in the field. The proposed experimental program beyond GERDA (and Majorana) is presented.

The Majorana collaboration is actively pursuing research and development aimed at a tonne-scale 76Ge neutrinoless double-betadecay (0νββ) experiment. The current, primary focus is the construction of the Majorana Demonstrator experiment, an R&D effort that will field approximately 40 kg of germanium detectors with mixed enrichment levels. This article provides a status update on the construction of the Demonstrator.

The search for neutrinoless double betadecay might be the only window to observe lepton number violation. Its observation would favour the leptogenesis mechanism for the explanation of the baryon asymmetry of the universe and is therefore considered to be of highest relevance. The isotope 76Ge has historically been most important for this search and the ongoing experiment GERDA has the lowest background of all experiments in the field. The talk reviews the motivation, the current status of experiments and future programs.

The inner bremmsstrahlung (IB) spectrum accompanying betadecay of 170 Tm was measured using magnetic deflection technique. The raw spectrum was unfolded using the procedure of Liden and Starfelt. The unfolded IB spectrum was compared with the theories of Knipp and Uhlenbeck and Bloch; Lewis and Ford. Comparison was made with Ford and Martin theory in order to estimate the contribution of detour transitions to the IB spectrum of 170 Tm. (author)

Experts on decay data and decay heat calculations participated in a Consultants' Meeting organized at IAEA Headquarters on 12-14 December 2005. Debate focused on the validation of decay heat calculations as a function of cooling time for fuel irradiated in power reactors through comparisons with experimental benchmark data. Both the current understanding and quantification of mean beta and gamma decay energies were reviewed with respect to measurements and the Gross Theory of BetaDecay. Particular emphasis was placed on the known development of total absorption gamma-ray spectroscopy (TAGS), and detailed discussions took place to formulate the measurement requirements for mean beta and gamma data of individual radionuclides. This meeting was organized in cooperation with the OECD/NEA Working Party for Evaluation and Cooperation (WPEC). Proposals and recommendations were made to resolve particular difficulties, and an initial list of fission products was produced for TAGS studies. The discussions, conclusions and recommendations of the meeting are briefly described in this report. (author)

The nuclear matrix elements for two-neutrino double-beta (2 n$\\beta\\beta$ ) and zero-neutrino double-beta (0 n$\\beta\\beta$) decay of 76 Ge are evaluated in terms of the configuration interaction (CI), quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) and interacting boson model (IBM) methods. We show that the decomposition of the matrix elements in terms of interemediate states in 74 Ge is dominated by ground state of this nucleus. We consider corrections to the CI results that arise from configurations admixtures involving orbitals out-side of the CI configuration space by using results from QRPA, many-body-perturbation theory, and the connections to related observables. The CI two-neutrino matrix element is reduced due to the inclusion of spin-orbit partners, and to many-body correlations connected with Gamow-Teller betadecay. The CI zero-neutrino matrix element for the heavy neutrino is enhanced due to particle-particle correlations that are connected with the odd-even oscillations in the nuclear masse...

New limits on half-lives for several double betadecay modes of 100 Mo were obtained with a novel experimental system which included thin source films interleaved with a coaxial array of windowless silicon detectors. Segmentation and timing information allowed backgrounds originating in the films to be studied in some detail. Dummy films containing 96 Mo were used to assess remaining backgrounds. With 0.1 mole years of 100 Mo data collected, the lower half-life limits at 90% confidence were 2.7 /times/ 10 18 years for decay via the two-neutrino mode, 5.2 /times/10 19 years for decay with the emission of a Majoron, and 1.6 /times/ 10 20 years and 2.2 /times/ 10 21 years for neutrinoless 0 + → 2 + and 0 + → 0 + transitions, respectively. 50 refs., 38 figs., 11 tabs

Investigations of light nuclei close to the drip lines have revealed new and intriguing features of the nuclear structure. The occurrence of halo structures in loosely bound systems has had a great impact on the nuclear physics research in the last years. As intriguing but not yet solved is the nature of transitions with very large $\\beta$ - strength. \\\\ \\\\We report here on the investigation of this latter feature by an accurate measurement of the $\\beta$ - decay asymmetry between the mirror nuclei in the A=9 mass chain.\\\\ \\\\The possible asymmetry for the decay to the states around 12 MeV is interesting not only due to the fact that the individual B$_{GT}$ values are large (with large overlap in wave-functions, an unambiguous interpretation is much easier made), but also due to the special role played by this transition for the $^{9}$Li decay. It seems to belong to a class of high-B$_{GT}$ transitions observed at the neutron drip line and has been suggested to be due either to a lowering of the giant Gamow-Te...

Double-betadecay is indispensable to solve the question of the neutrino mass matrix together with ν oscillation experiments. Recent analysis of the most sensitive experiment in the last eight years - the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment in Gran Sasso - yields evidence for the neutrinoless decay mode at a 97% C.L. This result is the first indication for lepton number violation and for the neutrino to be a Majorana particle. We give the present status of the analysis in these proceedings. It excludes several of the neutrino mass scenarios allowed from present neutrino oscillation experiments - essentially only degenerate and partially degenerate mass scenarios survive. To improve the present result, considerably enlarged experiments are required, such as GENIUS. A GENIUS Test Facility has just been funded and will come into operation by the end of 2002

The betadecay asymmetry parameter for 35 Ar = 35 Cl + e + + nu/sub e/ has been remeasured in order to resolve a long standing puzzle. Previous asymmetry measurements, when combined with the comparative half-life, yield a value for the vector coupling constant, G/sub v/, that is in serious disagreement with the accepted value. We produced polarized 35 Ar by a (p,n) reaction on 35 Cl using the polarized proton beam provided by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's 88-Inch Cyclotron. The polarization of the 35 Ar was determined by measuring the asymmetry of the positrons produced in 35 Ar decay to the first excited state in 35 Cl (branching ratio = 1.3%) in coincidence with a 1219.4 keV gamma ray. Our result, A 0 = 0.49 +- 0.10, combined with the comparative half-life yields a value for G/sub v/ in agreement with the accepted value

Full Text Available The Majorana Demonstrator will search for the neutrinoless double-beta (ββ0ν decay of the isotope Ge with a mixed array of enriched and natural germanium detectors. The observation of this rare decay would indicate that the neutrino is its own antiparticle, demonstrate that lepton number is not conserved, and provide information on the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. The Demonstrator is being assembled at the 4850-foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The array will be situated in a low-background environment and surrounded by passive and active shielding. Here we describe the science goals of the Demonstrator and the details of its design.

We point out that extensions of the standard model with low scale (∼TeV) lepton number violation (LNV) generally lead to a pattern of lepton flavor violation (LFV) experimentally distinguishable from the one implied by models with grand unified theory scale LNV. As a consequence, muon LFV processes provide a powerful diagnostic tool to determine whether or not the effective neutrino mass can be deduced from the rate of neutrinoless double betadecay. We discuss the role of μ→eγ and μ→e conversion in nuclei, which will be studied with high sensitivity in forthcoming experiments

The betadecays of 48 Mn and of even-even nuclei near the double shell-closures at 100 Sn and 146 Gd are currently investigated at the GSI on-line mass separator. Their Gamow-Teller strength are surveyed in their present experimental status, together with related results from the ISOLDE (CERN) and ISOCELE (Orsay) separators, and are compared with predictions from different nuclear models. The strength of the 0 + → 1 + Gamow-Teller transitions is compiled in tables and graphs. (orig.)

Some features of the nuclear matrix elements, for double betadecay transitions to a final ground state and to a final excited one and two-quadrupole phonon states, are presented and discussed in the framework of a schematic model. The competition between spin-flip and non-spin-flip transitions on the relevant nuclear matrix elements, the effects due to proton-neutron pairing correlations and the effects due to the inclusion of exchange terms in the QRPA matrix are discussed. (Author)

An experiment is proposed to search for double betadecay in 100 Mo using thin silicon solid state detectors. We expect to be sensitive to a half life limit of over 2 x 10 23 years for the neutrinoless mode and 2 x 10 20 years for the two-neutrino mode in one year's running. This is a substantial improvement in the measurement of the limits on electron neutrino mass and/or right-handed current admixtures over present 76 Ge experiments. 16 refs., 12 figs., 9 tabs

A sensitive experiment has been designed that will be able to measure an assumed half-life of 1.9x10 22 yr. This double beta corresponds to the activity of 27000 238 Pu nuclei formed during a year, in a 200 m deep mine, from 300 kg of 238 U, giving 210 alpha decays per year. Plutonium 238 et 239 will be determined by alpha spectroscopy after extraction chromatography. Experimental studies were undertaken to select the best conditions for running the extraction chromatography cycles

The PandaX-III experiment uses high pressure Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) to search for neutrinoless double-betadecay of Xe-136 with high energy resolution and sensitivity at the China Jin-Ping underground Laboratory II (CJPL-II). Fine-pitch Microbulk Micromegas will be used for charge amplification and readout in order to reconstruct both the energy and track of the neutrinoless double-betadecay event. In the first phase of the experiment, the detector, which contains 200 kg of 90% Xe-136 enriched gas operated at 10 bar, will be immersed in a large water tank to ensure 5 m of water shielding. For the second phase, a ton-scale experiment with multiple TPCs will be constructed to improve the detection probability and sensitivity. A 20-kg scale prototype TPC with 7 Micromegas modules has been built to optimize the design of Micromegas readout module, study the energy calibration of TPC and develop algorithm of 3D track reconstruction.

We consider the calculations which are appropriate to acquire with a high precision, of ~1% or better, the general characteristics of weak interactions from the experiments on the free neutron beta-decay; the principle emphasis is placed on the phenomena associated with the recoil of protons. The part played by electromagnetic interactions in beta-decay is visualized, with special attention drawn to the influence of the gamma-radiation on the momentum distribution of the particles in the final state. The effect of electromagnetic interactions on the proton recoil spectrum is studied, in the light of the experiments which are carried out and planned for now. The results of the calculations, which are to be confronted with the experimental data, are presented upright in terms of the effective Lagrangian underlying the inquiry. Owing to electromagnetic interactions, the corrections to the energy distribution of protons prove to amount to the value of a few per cent. Nowadays, this is substantial to obtain with a...

To further study neutrino oscillation properties a Beta Beam facility has been proposed. Betadecaying ions with high kinetic energy are stored in a storage ring ("Decay Ring") with straight sections to create pure focused (anti) electron neutrino beams. However to reach high sensitivity to neutrino oscillation parameters in the experiment the bunched beam intensity and duty cycle in the DR have to be optimized. The first CERN-based scenario, using 6He and 18Ne as neutrino sources, has been studied using a bunch merging RF scheme. Two RF cavities at different frequencies are used to capture newly injected bunches and then merge them into the stored bunches. It was shown that this scheme could satisfy the requirements on intensity and duty cycle set by the experiment. This merging scheme has now been revised with new simulation software providing new results for 6He and 18Ne. Furthermore bunch merging has been studied for the second CERN-based scenario using 8Li and 8B.

SNO+ is a large liquid scintillator based experiment that re-uses the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory detector. The detector, located 2 km underground in a mine near Sudbury, Canada, consists of a 12 m diameter acrylic vessel which will be filled with 780 tonnes of liquid scintillator. The main physics goal of SNO+ is to search for the neutrinoless double-beta (0n2b) decay of {sup 130}Te. During the double-beta phase, the liquid scintillator will be initially loaded with 0.3% natural tellurium (nearly 800 kg of {sup 130}Te). During this demonstration phase we anticipate that we will achieve a sensitivity in the region just above the inverted neutrino mass hierarchy. Recently the possibility to deploy up to 10 times more natural tellurium is being developed, by which SNO+ could explore, in the near future, deep into the parameter space for the inverted hierarchy. Designed as a general purpose neutrino experiment, SNO+ can additionally measure the reactor neutrino oscillations, geo-neutrinos in a geologically-interesting location, watch supernova neutrinos and measure low energy solar neutrinos. A first commissioning phase with the detector filled with water has started in autumn 2014, while full running with water will take place in 2015. Transition to the scintillator phase will start towards the end of 2015. The 0n2b decay phase is foreseen for the 2016.

The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA, is designed to search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76 Ge and it is installed in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of INFN, Italy. The GERDA experiment has completed the Phase I with a total collected exposure of 21.6 kg yr and a background index (BI) of the order of BI ≃ 10 −2 cts/(keVkg yr). No excess of events from 0νββ decay has been observed and a lower limit on the half-life on the 0νββ decay for 76 Ge has been estimated: T 0ν 1 /2 > 2.1·10 25 yr at 90% CL. The goal of GERDA Phase II is to reach the target sensitivity of T 0ν 1 /2 ≃ 1.4 · 10 26 yr, with an increased total mass of the enriched material and a reduced background level. In this paper the results from GERDA Phase I and the major improvements planned for Phase II are discussed.

The GERDA (GERmanium Detector Array) is an experiment for the search of neutrinoless double betadecay (0 νββ) in 76Ge, located at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN (Italy). In the first phase of the experiment, a 90% confidence level (C.L.) sensitivity of 2.4 ṡ1025 yr on the 0 νββ decay half-life was achieved with a 21.6 kgṡyr exposure and an unprecedented background index in the region of interest of 10-2 counts/(keVṡkgṡyr). No excess of signal events was found, and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of 2.1 ṡ 1025 yr (90% C.L.) was established. Correspondingly, the limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass is mee < 0.2- 0.4 eV, depending on the considered nuclear matrix element. The previous claim for evidence of a 0 νββ decay signal is strongly disfavored, and the field of research is open again.

Three experiments are employing semiconductor detectors in the search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay: COBRA, Majorana and GERDA. COBRA is studying the prospects of using CdZnTe detectors in terms of achievable energy resolution and background suppression. These detectors contain several ββ emitters and the most promising for 0νββ-decay search is 116 Cd. Majorana and GERDA will use isotopically enriched high purity Ge detectors to search for 0νββ-decay of 76 Ge. Their aim is to achieve a background ⩽10 −3 counts/(kg⋅y⋅keV) at the Q improvement compared to the present state-of-art. Majorana will operate Ge detectors in electroformed-Cu vacuum cryostats. A first cryostat housing a natural-Ge detector array is currently under preparation. In contrast, GERDA is operating bare Ge detectors submerged in liquid argon. The construction of the GERDA experiment is completed and a commissioning run started in June 2010. A string of natural-Ge detectors is operated to test the complete experimental setup and to determine the background before submerging the detectors enriched in 76 Ge. An overview and a comparison of these three experiments will be presented together with the latest results and developments.

The publications of the staff of the Hahn-Meitner-Institute (HMI) are listed in this catalogue. It contains articles which have been published in journals, books or book chapters, theses or HMI-reports in 1988. Only those publications are included of which a copy was provided to the library. Each title is indexed by a publication number, composed of a code indicating the field of research, the year of publication, and a running number. The fields of research are physics, chemistry, solid state and materials research, and information techniques. The research reactor BER II, the heavy ion accelerator VICKSI, the central information and computer operation, the electronics, and the central library belong to the infrastructure of the HMI. (orig.) [de

Measurements near the endpoint of the tritium beta-decay spectrum using a gaseous molecular tritium source yield an essentially model-independent upper limit of 27 eV on the /ovr ν//sub e/ mass at the 95% confidence level. Since demonstrating from this initial measurement the successful operation of a gaseous source based system, most of our effort has been concentrated towards the upgrade and optimization of the experimental apparatus. The emphasis of this work has been to eliminate or further reduce effects that generate systematic errors. Based on realistic projections from our initial measurement, an ultimate sensitivity to neutrino mass of 10 eV is expected. 12 refs., 1 fig

Heavy element nucleosynthesis models involve various properties of thousands of nuclei in order to simulate the intricate details of the process. By necessity, as most of these nuclei cannot be studied in a controlled environment, these models must rely on the nuclear structure models for input. Of all the properties, the beta-decay half-lives are one of the most important ones due to their direct impact on the resulting abundance distributions. In this study we present the results of a large-scale calculation based on the relativistic nuclear energy density functional, where both the allowed and the first-forbidden transitions are studied in more than 5000 neutron-rich nuclei. Aside from the astrophysical applications, the results of this calculation can also be employed in the modeling of the electron and antineutrino spectra from nuclear reactors.

Asymmetry of the beta-ray angular distribution in polarized RaE is evaluated with the numerical values of nuclear matrix elements, i∫r, ∫α and ∫sigma x r, which are derived by the method of the least chi-square fit to the experimental data on the spectral shape, longitudinal polarization and ft value. The magnetic moment of RaE is known to have a negative sign from this calculation, the measured asymmetry in Tokyo and the knowledge about the internal magnetic field at decaying nucleus. A consistent explanation of i∫r, ∫sigma x r and the magnetic moment of RaE is obtained in a shell model, where the tensor forces in the residual interaction and the core polarization are properly taken into account. (auth.)

The T z =-3/2, A=4n+1 nuclide 73 Sr produced in the 40 Ca( 36 Ar,3n) reaction has been observed via beta-delayed proton emission. A single proton group at a laboratory energy of 3.75±0.04 MeV has been observed, corresponding to decay of the T=3/2 isobaric analog state in 73 Rb to the ground state of 72 Kr. Combining this measurement with a Coulomb displacement energy calculation yields a mass excess for 73 Sr of -31.82±0.24 MeV based on a predicted mass for 72 Kr of -53.94±0.24 MeV

Heavy element nucleosynthesis models involve various properties of thousands of nuclei in order to simulate the intricate details of the process. By necessity, as most of these nuclei cannot be studied in a controlled environment, these models must rely on the nuclear structure models for input. Of all the properties, the beta-decay half-lives are one of the most important ones due to their direct impact on the resulting abundance distributions. In this study we present the results of a large-scale calculation based on the relativistic nuclear energy density functional, where both the allowed and the first-forbidden transitions are studied in more than 5000 neutron-rich nuclei. Aside from the astrophysical applications, the results of this calculation can also be employed in the modeling of the electron and antineutrino spectra from nuclear reactors.

Heavy element nucleosynthesis models involve various properties of thousands of nuclei in order to simulate the intricate details of the process. By necessity, as most of these nuclei cannot be studied in a controlled environment, these models must rely on the nuclear structure models for input. Of all the properties, the beta-decay half-lives are one of the most important ones due to their direct impact on the resulting abundance distributions. In this study we present the results of a large-scale calculation based on the relativistic nuclear energy density functional, where both the allowed and the first-forbidden transitions are studied in more than 5000 neutron-rich nuclei. Aside from the astrophysical applications, the results of this calculation can also be employed in the modeling of the electron and antineutrino spectra from nuclear reactors.

Heavy element nucleosynthesis models involve various properties of thousands of nuclei in order to simulate the intricate details of the process. By necessity, as most of these nuclei cannot be studied in a controlled environment, these models must rely on the nuclear structure models for input. Of all the properties, the beta-decay half-lives are one of the most important ones due to their direct impact on the resulting abundance distributions. Currently, a single large-scale calculation is available based on a QRPA calculation with a schematic interaction on top of the Finite Range Droplet Model. In this study we present the results of a large-scale calculation based on the relativistic nuclear energy density functional, where both the allowed and the first-forbidden transitions are studied in more than 5000 neutron-rich nuclei

Heavy element nucleosynthesis models involve various properties of thousands of nuclei in order to simulate the intricate details of the process. By necessity, as most of these nuclei cannot be studied in a controlled environment, these models must rely on the nuclear structure models for input. Of all the properties, the beta-decay half-lives are one of the most important ones due to their direct impact on the resulting abundance distributions. Currently, a single large-scale calculation is available based on a QRPA calculation with a schematic interaction on top of the Finite Range Droplet Model. In this study we present the results of a large-scale calculation based on the relativistic nuclear energy density functional, where both the allowed and the first-forbidden transitions are studied in more than 5000 neutron-rich nuclei.

The current situation in double betadecay experiments, the characteristics of modern detectors and the possibility of increasing the sensitivity to neutrino mass in future experiments are discussed. The issue of the production and use of enriched isotopes in double betadecay experiments is discussed in addition.

A proportionality is assumed to exist between 0/degree/ (p,n) cross sections and the corresponding betadecay transition strengths. The validity of this assumption is tested by comparison of measured (p,n) cross sections and analogous betadecay strengths. Distorted waves impulse approximation calculations also provide useful estimates of the accuracy of the proportionality relationship. 14 refs., 10 figs

The GERmanium Detector Array (gerda) experiment, located at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy, is one of the leading experiments for the search of 0νββ decay. In Phase II of the experiment 35.6 kg of enriched germanium detectors are operated. The application of active background rejection methods, such as a liquid argon scintillation light read-out and pulse shape discrimination of germanium detector signals, allowed to reduce the background index to the intended level of 10-3 cts/(keV.kg.yr). In the first five month of data taking 10.8 kg yr of exposure were accumulated. No signal has been found and together with data from Phase I a new limit for the neutrinoless double betadecay half-life of 76Ge of 5.3 . 1025 yr at 90% C.L. was established in June 2016. Phase II data taking is ongoing and will allow the exploration of half-lifes in the 1026 yr regime. The current status of data taking and an update on the background index are presented.

An observation of neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay would allow to shed light onto the nature of neutrinos. GERDA (GERmanium Detector Array) aims to discover this process in a background-free search using 76Ge. The experiment is located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy. Bare, isotopically enriched, high purity germanium detectors are operated in liquid argon. GERDA follows a staged approach. In Phase II 35.6 kg of enriched germanium detectors are operated since December 2015. The application of active background rejection methods, such as a liquid argon scintillation light read-out and pulse shape discrimination of germanium detector signals, allows to reduce the background index to the intended level of 10‑3 cts/(keVṡkgṡyr). No evidence for the 0νββ decay has been found in 23.2 kgṡyr of Phase II data, and together with data from Phase I the up-to-date most stringent half-life limit for this process in 76Ge has been established, at a median sensitivity of 5.8ṡ1025yr the 90% C.L. lower limit is 8.0ṡ1025yr.

CUORE is an upcoming experiment designed to search for neutrinoless double-betadecay (0νββ) decay in 130 Te. Observation of the process would be a major finding because it would unambiguously establish that neutrinos are Majorana particles (i.e., their own antiparticles) as well as provide information about the absolute neutrino mass scale. The CUORE detector will consist of 988 identical TeO 2 crystal bolometers (containing 206 kg of 130 Te in total) arranged into 19 towers and cooled to about 10 mK at the underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), Italy, which provides the low-background environment necessary for rare event searches of this kind. A predecessor experiment, Cuoricino, ran from 2003-2008 at LNGS and served as a learning ground for CUORE, which will be 20 times larger and exhibit much lower backgrounds. The CUORE detector assembly line has produced its first tower, designated CUORE-0, which is expected to come online in the former Cuoricino cryostat in October 2012 and take data for about 2 years while 19 CUORE towers are assembled. CUORE data taking is expected for 2015-2019. (author)

We propose to perform a series of measurements of the $\\beta$-asymmetry parameter in the decay of selected nuclei, in order to investigate the presence of possible time reversal invariant tensor contributions to the weak interaction. The measurements have the potential to improve by a factor of about four on the present limits for such non-standard model contributions in nuclear $\\beta$-decay.

During the past few years our understanding of neutrino properties has reached a new level, with experiments such as Super-K, SNO, KamLAND, and others obtaining exciting results. Major questions such as “Do neutrinos have mass?” and “Do neutrinos oscillate?” now have positive answers. However, an extensive program of neutrino research remains. Undoubtedly, the most important of these is the question pointed out by the National Research Council in its February 2002 report “Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos”, specifically: What are the masses of neutrinos and how have they shaped the evolution of the Universe? The MAJORANA collaboration has proposed to build the world’s most sensitive one-ton scale experiment to search for neutrino less double betadecay to answer this question. In its initial stage, the collaboration is building a prototype MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR (MJD) experiment consisting of detectors made out of enriched Ge76 with a total sensitive mass of ~30 kg. This will accomplish two goals. First, it will test not yet confirmed claim for observation of neutrino-less double betadecay. Second, it will establish that the selected technology is capable of extension to a one-ton experiment with sufficient sensitivity to measure neutrino mass mββ down to 10 meV. To achieve the last goal, collaboration must demonstrate that a background level of 1 count per year per 4 keV per ton of detector is achievable. The University of Tennessee (UT) neutrino group has made a major commitment to the MJD. P.I. accepted the responsibility for one of the major tasks of the experiment, “Materials and Assay Task” which is crucial to the achievement of low background levels required for the experiment. In addition, the UT group is committed to construct, commission, and operate the MJD active veto system. Those activities were supported by NP-DOE via program funding for “Search for the Neutrino Less Double Beta Decay” at the University

This brochure is based on a paper read at a HMI colloquium on 14 Juni 1993. The historical information is based on a detailed historical study published in book form under the title ''Industrial-scale Research in Berlin''. (orig./HSCH) [de

An approximation to a self-consistent model of the ground state and {beta}-decay properties of neutron-rich nuclei is outlined. The structure of the {beta}-strength functions in stable and short-lived nuclei is discussed. The results of large-scale calculations of the {beta}-decay rates for spherical and slightly deformed nuclides of relevance to the r-process are analysed and compared with the results of existing global calculations and recent experimental data. (orig.)

The isotope 172Tm populates the 0+, 2+ and 4+ states of the 172Yb ground-state rotational band directly in betadecay. The shapes and intensities of the three beta groups have been measured by means of a six-gap magnetic spectrometer operated in coincidence with a Nal(Tl) crystal. The experimenta...

The possibility to probe new physics scenarios of light Majorana neutrino exchange and right-handed currents at the planned next generation neutrinoless double {beta} decay experiment SuperNEMO is discussed. Its ability to study different isotopes and track the outgoing electrons provides the means to discriminate different underlying mechanisms for the neutrinoless double {beta} decay by measuring the decay half-life and the electron angular and energy distributions. (orig.)

Work has continued in collaboration with experimenters from Yale, Brookhaven and Pittsburgh (Brookhaven experiment 702) to measure asymmetries in the decays of polarized Σ + 's into protons and neutral pions and of polarized Σ - 's into neutrons and negative pions. A short experiment was carried out in the Brookhaven AGS A2 test beam to measure the efficiency of a cylindrical shower counter essential for measuring the asymmetry parameter in the rare decay of polarized Σ + 's into protons and gammas. An electronic controller to stabilize the magnetic field of the superconducting, polarized target magnet was also designed and built at Mount Holyoke, and it functioned extremely well during a six week May to June run. Also, the design of an experiment to search for double betadecay in Molybdenum 100 is briefly described. A group consisting of five experimenters from LBL and two from Mount Holyoke hope to make a formal proposal in September to the LBL administration to begin work on this experiment late this year and during the next calendar year

The Germanium Detector Array (Gerda) is a search for the neutrinoless double betadecay of 76Ge. High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors enriched in the isotope-76 are operated bare in liquid argon (LAr). LAr is used for both cooling of the HPGe diodes to their operating temperatures and for shielding from external radiation sources. From the measurements of the first phase that began data taking on 1 Nov. 2011 it is expected to have a sensitivity on the level of T1/2>2E25 yr at a 90% CL after 15 kġyr. The goal of this phase will be to probe the claim of an observation by part of the Heidelberg-Moscow collaboration. Efforts will then focus on increasing the sensitivity of the experiment by deploying additional enriched detectors that are in an advanced stage of production and by reducing the background index further by making use of pulse shape discrimination techniques as well as an active LAr veto. While the 0νββ region of interest continues to remain blinded, here the status of Phase-I data taking is presented along with the work towards improving the experimental sensitivity.

We study the implications of the recent results on neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) from GERDA-I (Ge76) and KamLAND-Zen+EXO-200 (Xe136) and the upper limit on the sum of light neutrino masses from Planck. We show that the upper limits on the effective neutrino mass from Xe136 are stronger than those from Ge76 for most of the recent calculations of the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs). We also analyze the compatibility of these limits with the claimed observation in Ge76 and show that while the updated claim value is still compatible with the recent GERDA limit as well as the individual Xe136 limits for a few NME calculations, it is inconsistent with the combined Xe136 limit for all but one NME. Imposing the most stringent limit from Planck, we find that the canonical light neutrino contribution cannot saturate the current limit, irrespective of the NME uncertainties. Saturation can be reached by inclusion of the right-handed (RH) neutrino contributions in TeV-scale left-right symmetric models with type-II seesaw. This imposes a lower limit on the lightest neutrino mass. Using the 0νββ bounds, we also derive correlated constraints in the RH sector, complimentary to those from direct searches at the LHC.

The quantum field theory of superluminal (tachyonic) particles is plagued by a number of problems, which include the Lorentz non-invariance of the vacuum state, the ambiguous separation of the field operator into creation and annihilation operators under Lorentz transformations, and the necessity of a complex reinterpretation principle for quantum processes. Another unsolved question concerns the treatment of subluminal components of a tachyonic wave packet in the field-theoretical formalism, and the calculation of the time-ordered propagator. After a brief discussion on related problems, we conclude that rather painful choices have to be made in order to incorporate tachyonic spin- (1)/(2) particles into field theory. We argue that the field theory needs to be formulated such as to allow for localizable tachyonic particles, even if that means that a slight unitarity violation is introduced into the S matrix, and we write down field operators with unrestricted momenta. We find that once these choices have been made, the propagator for the neutrino field can be given in a compact form, and the left-handedness of the neutrino as well as the right-handedness of the antineutrino follow naturally. Consequences for neutrinoless double betadecay and superluminal propagation of neutrinos are briefly discussed. (orig.)

The quantum field theory of superluminal (tachyonic) particles is plagued by a number of problems, which include the Lorentz non-invariance of the vacuum state, the ambiguous separation of the field operator into creation and annihilation operators under Lorentz transformations, and the necessity of a complex reinterpretation principle for quantum processes. Another unsolved question concerns the treatment of subluminal components of a tachyonic wave packet in the field-theoretical formalism, and the calculation of the time-ordered propagator. After a brief discussion on related problems, we conclude that rather painful choices have to be made in order to incorporate tachyonic spin- (1)/(2) particles into field theory. We argue that the field theory needs to be formulated such as to allow for localizable tachyonic particles, even if that means that a slight unitarity violation is introduced into the S matrix, and we write down field operators with unrestricted momenta. We find that once these choices have been made, the propagator for the neutrino field can be given in a compact form, and the left-handedness of the neutrino as well as the right-handedness of the antineutrino follow naturally. Consequences for neutrinoless double betadecay and superluminal propagation of neutrinos are briefly discussed. (orig.)

The β-decay of 145 Gd has been studied in sufficient detail for comparison with the decay of its fictional analogue Pandemonium. It is shown that > 98% of the 145 Gd decay intensity was observed. This result casts doubt on the value of decay schemes determined solely by statistical techniques. (orig.)

Analysis of tile Jπ = 0 + → 0 + super-allowed Fermi transitions within isospin triplets is limited in the precision of its outcome not by the accuracy of the experimental input data nor by the confidence with which the radiative corrections can be applied but by knowledge of the nuclear mismatch: the subversion of the isospin symmetry along the multiplets by the charge-dependence of the forces, both Coulomb and specifically nuclear. Theoretical estimates of the mismatch differ considerably from author to author, their direct application results in clear violation of tile hypothesis of conservation of the vector current and clear inconsistency with unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. This paper pursues and elaborates the previous suggestion that, in these unsatisfactory circumstances, the best procedure is to look to the experimental data themselves to determine and eliminate the mismatch by appropriate extrapolation to Z=O. This is done: (i) without any prior correction for mismatch; (ii) after correction for the full theoretical mismatch; (iii) after correction for case-to-case fluctuations in the theoretical mismatch. These three procedures are individually statistically satisfactory and mutually consistent in their extrapolation to Z = 0 despite the variety of the theoretical mismatches on which, in varying degrees, they are based. The resultant unitarity test for the CKM matrix is IV ud I 2 + IV us I 2 + IV ub I 2 = 1.0003 ± 0.0014. The associated value for the operational vector coupling constant is: G v * / (hc) 3 = (1.15155±0.00064) x 10 -5 GeV -2 . If unitarity of the CKM matrix is alternatively assumed one may conclude, from a similar analysis, that the mean charge of the fermionic fields between which beta-decay takes place is Q-bar = 0.172±0.060 and that, at the 90% confidence level, b F -3 were b F is the relative effective scalar coupling constant. Neutron decay is also discussed, with the provisional recommendations: G A * /(hc) 3

The study of neutrinoless double betadecay is the most powerful approach to the fundamental question if the neutrino is a Majorana particle, i.e. its own anti-particle. The observation of the lepton number violating neutrinoless double betadecay would establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Until now neutrinoless double betadecay was not observed. The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA is a double betadecay experiment located at the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy. GERDA operates bare Ge diodes enriched in 76Ge in liquid argon supplemented by a water shield. The exposure accumulated adds up to 21.6 kg· yr with a background level of 1.8 · 10-2 cts/(keV·kg·yr). The results of the Phase I of the experiment are presented and the preparation of the Phase II is briefly discussed.

We performed a search for the beta(+) branch of Mn-54 decay. As a cosmic ray, Mn-54, deprived of its atomic electrons, can decay only via beta(+) and beta(-) decay, with a half-life of the order of 106 yr. This turns Mn-54 into a suitable cosmic chronometer for the study of cosmic-ray confinement times. We searched for coincident back-to-back 511-keV gamma-rays using two germanium detectors inside a Nal(Tl) annulus. An upper limit of 2 x 10-8 was found for the beta(+) decay branch, corresponding to a lower limit of 13.7 for the log ft value.

The gross theory of beta-decay has been developed, and this theory offers the means of calculating directly the function of beta-decay intensity, then half-lives, complex beta spectra and so on are estimated from it. This paper presents the more refined theory by introducing the shell effect. The shell effect is considered in the intensity function. The half-lives in the electron decay of In with spin of 9/2 + , the positron decay of Bi, Po, At and Rn, and the decay of odd-odd nuclei were estimated. The introduction of the shell effect shows better agreement between the theory and the experimental data. The inequality relations of intensity functions and half-lives of two adjacent nuclei were obtained. When the spins and parities of two nuclei are same, the inequality relations hold especially good. (Kato, T.)

Molecular final state energies and transition probabilities have been computed for beta-decay of the tritium molecule. The results are of sufficient accuracy to make a determination of the electron neutrino rest mass with an error not exceeding a few tenths of an electron volt. Effects of approximate models of tritium beta-decay on the neutrino mass determination are discussed. 14 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

We propose to study the $\\beta$-decay of $^{16}$N at ISOLDE with the aim of determining the branching ratio for $\\beta\\alpha$ decay on an absolute scale. There are indications that the previously measured branching ratio is in error by an amount significantly larger than the quoted uncertainty. This limits the precision with which the S-factor of the astrophysically important $^{12}$C($\\alpha, \\gamma)^{16}$O reaction can be determined.

Beta and gamma fission product decay heat curves are evaluated for the thermal fission of 235 U. Experimental data that include beta, gamma, and total measurements are combined with summation calculations based on ENDF/B in a consistent evaluation. Least-squares methods are used that take proper account of data uncertainties and correlations. 4 figures, 2 tables

We study the 7×7 Hagen-Hurley equations describing spin 1 particles. We split these equations, in the interacting case, into two Dirac equations with nonstandard solutions. It is argued that these solutions describe decay of a virtual W boson in betadecay.

The excitations of the electron shell in neutrinoless double betadecay shifts the limiting energy available for ejected electrons. We present the general equations for this shift and make computations for the decays of two nuclei—germanium and xenon. (author)

The q β energies of 123-131 In have been determined using the end points of β spectra recorded in β-γ coincidence experiments. A HPGe planar detector was used to detect the β-particles and a semi-empirical response function was used when unfolding the electron distribution. The mass excesses were deduced and when they were compared with the predictions of various mass formulae, the cadmium isotopes were found to be heavier than those predicted by most of the mass formulae. The excitation energy of the 1/2 - proton-hole state in the odd indium isotopes was shown to be constant for all the heavy isotopes. The Q EC energies of 148 Dy and 96 Pd were determined using the β + /EC intensity ratio method. The ratio of the intensity of the β+ branch to the total betadecay intensity was determined by means of γ-spectroscopic methods. The mass excesses were deduced. The two-proton binding energy for the N=82 isotones showed only a small step of approximately 0.5 MeV when the doubly-magic nucleus 146 Gd was encountered. A liquid drop type mass formula with deformation and shell energy corrections and with few free parameters is presented. The shell energy correction is a simple analytical expression for the equilibrium deformation of the nucleus. An analytical expression for the equilibrium nuclear deformation is also presented. The mass formula was applied to nuclei with Z and N greater than 50. The RMS deviation is 0.55 milli mass units. The reaction 98 Mo(p,n) 98 Tc was investigated through the counter ratio method, the ratio of the number of slow neutrons to the number of fast neutrons. The Q pn energy value of a low-spin state in 98 Tc was determined. The state at 90.9 keV excitation energy is proposed to be the 14.6 m u s isomer and have spin and parity 1 + . (author)

Analysis of tile J{pi} = 0{sup +} {yields} 0{sup +} super-allowed Fermi transitions within isospin triplets is limited in the precision of its outcome not by the accuracy of the experimental input data nor by the confidence with which the radiative corrections can be applied but by knowledge of the nuclear mismatch: the subversion of the isospin symmetry along the multiplets by the charge-dependence of the forces, both Coulomb and specifically nuclear. Theoretical estimates of the mismatch differ considerably from author to author, their direct application results in clear violation of tile hypothesis of conservation of the vector current and clear inconsistency with unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. This paper pursues and elaborates the previous suggestion that, in these unsatisfactory circumstances, the best procedure is to look to the experimental data themselves to determine and eliminate the mismatch by appropriate extrapolation to Z=O. This is done: (i) without any prior correction for mismatch; (ii) after correction for the full theoretical mismatch; (iii) after correction for case-to-case fluctuations in the theoretical mismatch. These three procedures are individually statistically satisfactory and mutually consistent in their extrapolation to Z = 0 despite the variety of the theoretical mismatches on which, in varying degrees, they are based. The resultant unitarity test for the CKM matrix is IV{sub ud}I{sup 2} + IV{sub us}I{sup 2} + IV{sub ub}I{sup 2} = 1.0003 {+-} 0.0014. The associated value for the operational vector coupling constant is: G{sub v}{sup *} / (hc){sup 3} = (1.15155{+-}0.00064) x 10{sup -5} GeV{sup -2}. If unitarity of the CKM matrix is alternatively assumed one may conclude, from a similar analysis, that the mean charge of the fermionic fields between which beta-decay takes place is Q-bar = 0.172{+-}0.060 and that, at the 90% confidence level, b{sub F} < 2.6 x 10{sup -3} were b{sub F} is the relative effective scalar

Neutrinoless double betadecay (0vDBD) is a lepton-number violating process that can occur only for a massive Majorana neutrino. The search for 0vDBD is currently the only practical experimental way to determine whether neutrinos are identical to their own antiparticles (Majorana neutrinos) or have distinct particle and anti-particle states (Dirac neutrinos). In addition, the observation of 0vDBD can provide information about the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. The Cuoricino experiment was a sensitive search for 0vDBD, as well as a proof of principle for the next generation experiment, CUORE. CUORE will search for 0vDBD of 130Te with a ton-scale array of unenriched TeO2 bolometers. By increasing mass and decreasing the background for 0vDBD, the half-life sensitivity of CUORE will be a factor of twenty better than that of Cuoricino. The site for both of these experiments is the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, an underground laboratory with 3300 meters water equivalent rock overburden and a cosmic ray muon attenuation factor of 10-6. Because of the extreme low background requirements for CUORE, it is important that all potential sources of background in the 0vDBD peak region at 2530 keV are well understood. One potential source of background for CUORE comes from neutrons, which can be produced underground both by (α,n) reactions and by fast cosmic ray muon interactions. Preliminary simulations by the CUORE collaboration indicate that these backgrounds will be negligible for CUORE. However, in order to accurately simulate the expected neutron background, it is important to understand the cross sections for neutron interactions with detector materials. In order to help refine these simulations, I have measured the gamma-ray production cross sections for interactions of neutrons on the abundant stable isotopes of Te using the GEANIE detector array at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. In addition, I have used the GEANIE

The log ft-values, the spectrum shape functions, and the beta-gamma angular correlation coefficients of the 170 Tm betadecay are computed in the framework of relativistic formfactor formalism using asymmetric rotor model wavefunctions. Main vector and axial vector hadron currents being strongly hindered, the relative importance of induced interaction matrix elements is accurately estimated. Good agreement with experiment is obtained for the betadecay observables when the main induced interaction terms were taken into account. The contribution of the pseudoscalar term was found insignificant. (authors)

A Betadecay Paul Trap (BPT) has been constructed at Argonne National Laboratory for the precise measurement of betadecay. We have demonstrated the capability of producing and transferring a low-energy, bunched, and isotopically pure ions beam. In BPT the ions are cooled to sub-eV energies, and confined in a volume of less than 1 mm{sup 3}. The trap has an open geometry which allows four sets of radiation detectors covering a substantial potion of solid angle. In combination with versatile detectors, BPT is able to precisely determine the entire decay kinematics of many isotopes. (author)

We report the observation of two-neutrino double-betadecay in {sup 136}Xe with T{sub 1/2} = 2.11 {+-} 0.04(stat) {+-} 0.21(syst) x 10{sup 21} yr. This second-order process, predicted by the standard model, has been observed for several nuclei but not for {sup 136}Xe. The observed decay rate provides new input to matrix element calculations and to the search for the more interesting neutrinoless double-betadecay, the most sensitive probe for the existence of Majorana particles and the measurement of the neutrino mass scale.

Data on the mass of the anti-neutrino determined via electrostatic measurements of tritium beta-decay are assessed. Relativistic calculations concerning the finite mass of the electron anti-neutrino and the recoil of the nucleus, are given for the theoretical end-point spectrum of tritium beta-decay. The specifications are given for an electrostatic Spherical Retarding Beta-Spectrometer, and an electrostatic Cylindrical Mirror Analyser, both used in the tritium beta-decay experiment. The electrostatic measurements lead to a value of less than 50 ev (90% C.L.) for the electron anti-neutrino mass. These results are discussed in terms of the resolution of the electrostatic equipment and the Monte Carlo simulations of the data collection. (UK)

Using the latest LHCb measurements of time-dependent $C\\!P$ violation in the $B^0_s \\to K^+K^-$ decay, a U-spin relation between the decay amplitudes of $B^0_s \\to K^+K^-$ and $B^0\\to \\pi^+\\pi^-$ decay processes allows constraints to be placed on the angle $\\gamma$ of the unitarity triangle and on the $B^0_s$ mixing phase $-2\\beta_s$. Results from an extended approach, which uses additional inputs on $B^0\\to \\pi^0\\pi^0$ and $B^+\\to \\pi^+\\pi^0$ decays from other experiments and exploits isospin symmetry, are also presented. The dependence of the results on the maximum allowed amount of U-spin breaking is studied. At 68% probability, the value $\\gamma = \\left( 63.5^{\\,+\\, 7.2}_{\\,-\\,6.7} \\right)^\\circ~\\mathrm{modulo}~180^\\circ$ is determined. In an alternative analysis, the value $-2\\beta_s = -0.12 ^{\\,+\\,0.14}_{\\,-\\,0.16}\\,\\,\\mathrm{rad}$ is found. In both measurements, the uncertainties due to U-spin breaking effects up to 50% are included.

Using the latest LHCb measurements of time-dependent $C\\!P$ violation in the $B^0_s \\to K^+K^-$ decay, a U-spin relation between the decay amplitudes of $B^0_s \\to K^+K^-$ and $B^0\\to \\pi^+\\pi^-$ decay processes allows constraints to be placed on the angle $\\gamma$ of the unitarity triangle and on the $B^0_s$ mixing phase $-2\\beta_s$. Results from an extended approach, which uses additional inputs on $B^0\\to \\pi^0\\pi^0$ and $B^+\\to \\pi^+\\pi^0$ decays from other experiments and exploits isospin symmetry, are also presented. The dependence of the results on the maximum allowed amount of U-spin breaking is studied. At 68% probability, the value $\\gamma = \\left( 63.5^{\\,+\\, 7.2}_{\\,-\\,6.7} \\right)^\\circ~\\mathrm{modulo}~180^\\circ$ is determined. In an alternative analysis, the value $-2\\beta_s = -0.12 ^{\\,+\\,0.14}_{\\,-\\,0.16}\\,\\,\\mathrm{rad}$ is found. In both measurements, the uncertainties due to U-spin breaking effects up to 50% are included.

The Gerda collaboration is performing a search for neutrinoless double betadecay of {sup 76}Ge with the eponymous detector. The experiment has been installed and commissioned at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and has started operation in November 2011. The design, construction and first operational results are described, along with detailed information from the R and D phase. (orig.)

Present status and some perspectives in 1990's are briefly given on double betadecays and related subjects. Subjects discussed are as follows I) Double betadecays without neutrinos, which require lepton number non-conservations and finite neutrino mass. II) Double betadecays followed by two neutrinos. III) Double weak processes with strangeness change ΔS = 2, leading to the H particle with 6 quarks of ss uu dd. IV) Charge non-conservation and electron decays. These are very rare nuclear processes studied by Ultra RAre-process NUclear Spectroscopy (URANUS). It is shown that URANUS is an important detector frontier of non-accelerator nuclear physics in 1990's. (orig.)

We propose to exploit the unique capability of the ISOLDE facility to produce $^{150, 151, 152}$Cs beams to investigate their radioactive $\\beta$-decay to $^{150, 151, 152}$Ba. The interest to study this mass region is twofold: these nuclei are expected to show octupole deformations already in their low-lying state, secondly information on the $\\beta$-decay is needed for the nuclear astrophysical model. The experiment will be performed with the ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS) setup using the fast tape station of K.U.-Leuven, equipped with four Clover Germanium detectors, four LaBr$_{3}$(Ce) detectors and one LEP HPGe detector. Information on the $\\beta$-decay, such as lifetimes and delayed neutron-emission probabilities, will be extracted, together with the detailed spectroscopy of the daughter nuclei, via $\\gamma$-$\\gamma$-coincidences and lifetime measurement of specific states.

This contribution presents current efforts in the search for exotic interactions in nuclear β decay using a calorimetric technique for the measurement of the β energy spectrum shape. We describe the criteria for the choice of sensitive candidates in Gamow-Teller transitions and present the status of measurements performed in {sup 6}He and {sup 20}F decay.

The $\\gamma$-ray spectrum following $\\beta$-decay of $^{11}$Li has been remeasured at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. Two new transitions were observed through the use of large Ge-detectors. Most $\\gamma$-decays will follow P-delayed neutron emission. Information on the energy of the neutron is derived from analysis of the $\\gamma$-line-shape and used to construct a partial decay scheme for $^{11}$Li. Lifetime values for the 1$^{-}$ and 2$^{-}$ levels in $^{10}$Be are also derived. A new partial decay scheme is presented. (43 refs).

Complementary studies of $^{191}$Pb have been made in the $\\beta$- decay of $^{191}$Bi at LISOL (CRC) and in the $\\alpha$- decay of $^{195}$Po at ISOLDE (CERN). Fine structures in the $\\alpha$- decay of the low-spin and high-spin isomers of $^{195}$Po have been fully resolved. Identification of the parent state is made possible via isomer selection based on narrow-band laser frequency scanning. The $\\alpha$-particle and $\\gamma$-ray energies have been determined with greater precision. New $\\alpha$-particle and $\\gamma$-ray energies are identified. Branching ratios in the decay of $^{195}$Po and $^{191}$Pb have been examined.

I review ββ decay in the standard model and as a test of Majorana neutrino masses and right-handed couplings. A summary is given of some of the nuclear physics issues involved in evaluating 2 ν and 0ν matrix elements. Dirac and pseudoDirac limits are discussed to illustrate how quantities constrained on 0ν ββ decay depend on the parameters of the mass matrix. Implications of 0ν ββ decay for models with 17 keV neutrinos, for models with massive Majorana neutrinos, and for Majorons are discussed. It is argued that a recent remeasurement of the total ββ decay rate of 126 Te is important in constraining (nonstandard) Majoron models

A decay spectroscopy study of the neutron-rich cobalt isotopes has been performed using fragmentation of a 86 Kr 36+ beam and the new LISE2000 spectrometer at GANIL. For 71 Co and 73 Co, the β-delayed γ radiation has been observed for the first time, and the half-lives were found to be 79(5) ms and 41(4) ms, respectively. Features of the decay are discussed qualitatively in terms of nuclear models. (orig.)

The energies and absolute intensities of the γ-rays from the β-decay of 11 Li are measured. There is no sizable β branch to the 11 Be ground state. Only (5.2+-1.4)% of the β-decay strength does not lead to β-delayed particle emission. New β-delayed neutron branches to excited states of 10 Be are observed and the total delayed neutron emission probability is deduced

The β-delayed particle decay of 17 Ne has been studied via proton-γ coincidences, time-of-flight measurements and the ''ratio-cut technique'', allowing cleanly-separated proton and α-particle spectra to be obtained. A complete set of proton and α branching ratios for the decay of 14 excited states in 17 F to the ground and excited states of 16 O and 13 N has been determined and branching ratios for the β decay of 17 Ne to these states have been deduced. From the branching ratios, f A t values and reduced Gamow-Teller matrix elements were calculated; no indication of isospin mixing in the isobaric analog state in 17 F was observed. From the measurement of proton-γ angular correlations, combined with the selection rules for an allowed β decay, we obtain J π =((1)/(2)) - for states at 8.436 and 9.450 MeV and ((3)/(2)) - for the state at 10.030 MeV in 17 F. Probabilities for the β-delayed pα decay to 12 C through the tails of the subthreshold 7.117 and 6.917 MeV states in 16 O have been calculated and the feasibility of using such decays to provide information about the rates for the E1 and E2 components of the 12 C(α,γ) 16 O reaction is discussed

Modern state, tendencies and perspectiVes of the development of experimental installations to study double β-decay are treated. The main peculiarities of direct recognition and full experiments on the study of double β-decay are considered. A simple ratio is obtained from statistical considerations which connects the life time limits of the nuclei with the facility parameters to conduct direct recognition experiments. Possibilities of different detectors are evaluated on the basis of the ratio. Requirements for the modern technique for complete investigation of double β-decay are formulated and two designs of facilities meeting the requirements are considered. It is shown that the facility with proportional chambers is more perspective. On the basis of the analysis of the facility development to study double β-decay, conclusion is made that the final and unambiguous proof of the existence of double β-decay process can be obtained only directly in the experiments with immediate recording of the decay acts. Possibilities of the existing and developed facilities to conduct recognition (direct) experiments are such, that with their help life time limits as to neutronless double β-decay at the level of 10 21 -10 22 years can be established. Counters on the basis of the condensed noble gases, semiconductor detectors made of TeCd, scintillators of big volume are the most perspective detectors. To conduct complete experiments it is necessary to develop a facility with sensitivity sufficient for the detection of two-neutrino double β-activeness when Tsub(1/2)=10sup(21) years [ru

We consider effects of the fields of strong electromagnetic waves on various characteristics of quantum processes. After a qualitative discussion of the effects of external fields on the energy spectra and angular distributions of the final-state particles as well as on the total probabilities of the processes (such as decay rates and total cross sections), we present a simple method of calculating the total probabilities of processes with production of nonrelativistic charged particles. Using nuclear β decay as an example, we study the weak- and strong-field limits, as well as the field-induced β decay of nuclei stable in the absence of the external fields, both in the tunneling and multiphoton regimes. We also consider the possibility of accelerating forbidden nuclear β decays by lifting the forbiddeness due to the interaction of the parent or daughter nuclei with the field of a strong electromagnetic wave. It is shown that for currently attainable electromagnetic fields all effects on total β-decay rates are unobservably small.

This chapter describes some new developments concerning the mechanism for lepton number nonconservation in no-neutrino double betadecay. Explains that lepton number nonconservation in no-neutrino double betadecay comes about either because both left- and right-handed components of a Majorano neutrino are coupled to the electron in the weak leptonic current, or because the neutrino has nonzero mass. Shows that while nuclear ground-state to ground-state transitions arise from right-handed currents and from neutrino mass terms, transitions to low-lying excited states with J /SUP P/ =2 + can arise only from right-handed currents. Emphasizes that the possibilities of detecting small admixtures of right-handed currents, and of setting limits on neutrino masses that are either very small or very large, make double betadecay a most rewarding phenomenon to study

The review of modern experiments on search and studying of double betadecay processes is done. Results of the most sensitive current experiments are discussed. The main attention is paid to EXO-200, KamLAND-Zen, GERDA-I and CUORE-0 experiments. Modern values of T1/2(2ν) and best present limits on neutrinoless double betadecay and double betadecay with Majoron emission are presented. Conservative limits on effective mass of a Majorana neutrino ( at the level of ˜ (0.01-0.1) eV are discussed. The main attention is paid to experiments of CUORE, GERDA, MAJORANA, EXO, KamLAND-Zen-2, SuperNEMO and SNO+. Possibilities of low-temperature scintillating bolometers on the basis of inorganic crystals (ZnSe, ZnMoO4, Li2MoO4, CaMoO4 and CdWO4) are considered too.

Penning trap measurements using mixed beams of 76 Ge- 76 Se and 100 Mo- 100 Ru have been utilized to determine the double-betadecay Q-values of 76 Ge and 100 Mo with uncertainties less than 200 eV. The value for 76 Ge, 2039.04(16) keV is in agreement with the published SMILETRAP value, 2039.006(50) keV. The new value for 100 Mo, 3034.40(17) keV is 30 times more precise than the previous literature value, sufficient for the ongoing neutrinoless double-betadecay searches in 100 Mo. Moreover, the precise Q-value is used to calculate the phase-space integrals and the experimental nuclear matrix element of double-betadecay

The observation of neutrinoless double-betadecay would determine whether the neutrino is a Majorana particle and provide information on the absolute scale of neutrino mass. The MAJORANA Collaboration is constructing the DEMONSTRATOR, an array of germanium detectors, to search for neutrinoless double-betadecay of 76Ge. The DEMONSTRATOR will contain 40 kg of germanium; up to 30 kg will be enriched to 86% in 76Ge. The DEMONSTRATOR will be deployed deep underground in an ultra-low-background shielded environment. Operation of the DEMONSTRATOR aims to determine whether a future tonne-scale germanium experiment can achieve a background goal of one count per tonne-year in a 4-keV region of interest around the 76Ge neutrinoless double-betadecay Q-value of 2039 keV.

The EXO collaboration is searching for the neutrinoless double betadecay of 136 Xe. Such observation would determine an absolute mass scale for the neutrinos, establish their Majorana nature, and uncover physics beyond the Standard Model. The EXO-200 detector is a single phase liquid xenon ultra low background TPC (Time Projection Chamber), with an active mass of 110 kg of 80.6% enriched xenon in the isotope 136. The detector is currently operating at the WIPP site and has been collecting data with enriched xenon since May 2011. The data collected give a lower limit for the neutrinoless double betadecay half-life of 136 Xe: T > 1.6*10 25 years at 90% C.L. The same data give a lower limit for the 2 neutrinos double betadecay of 136 Xe: T > 2.23*10 21 years that agrees with experimental values found in the literature

The double β decay process is the direct desexcitation from a nucleus (Z,A) to a nucleus (Z+2, A). Since long time ago, study of this process has been recognized as a very sensitive test of the lepton number non-conservation and therefore the double β decay process is strongly connected to the neutrino properties. This review starts with the main definitions and main motivations for such studies. Then the different experiments actually running and the most recent experimental results are exposed [fr

Allowance is made for beta-delayed fission in the calculation of the mass yield of underground thermonuclear explosions. This allowance is made by calculating a correction factor by four different methods. These correction factors are applied to a simple model of product yield and the accuracy and potential usefulness of the results are discussed. 19 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

The aim of this proposal is to gather new information that will serve as benchmark to test shell model calculations in the region below $^{68}$Ni, where proper residual interactions are still under development. More specifically, the ${\\beta}$-decay experiment of the $^{61-70}$Mn isotopes will highlight the development of collectivity in the Fe isotopes and its daughters. At ISOLDE, neutron-rich Mn isotopes are produced with a UC$_{x}$ target and selective laser ionization. These beams are particularly pure and reasonable yields are obtained for the neutron-rich short lived $^{61-70}$Mn isotopes. We propose to perform ${\\beta}$-decay studies on $^{61-70}$Mn utilizing the newly-developed "LISOL ${\\beta}$-decay setup", consisting of two MINIBALL cluster Ge detectors and a standard tape station. The use of digital electronics in the readout of these detectors enables us to perform a "slow correlation technique" which should indicate the possible existence of isomers in the daughter nuclei.

The recent status of the above studies was explained, especially, nuclear masses were described from the aspect of probability theory and that of {beta}-decay suggested that the first forbidden transition was hindered between the ground states. We have to study various systematics in order to know the mass surface, Way-Yamada-Matumoto type systematics is better to check the experimental nuclear masses. The gross theory is very useful to understand the general aspect of {beta}-decay. The understanding method of mass surface, systematic check of mass and hindrance of the first forbidden transition at rank 1 were explained. (S.Y.)

The observation of neutrinoless double-betadecay would resolve the Majorana nature of the neutrino and could provide information on the absolute scale of the neutrino mass. The initial phase of the Majorana Experiment, known as the Demonstrator, will house 40 kg of Ge in an ultra-low background shielded environment at the 4850' level of the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, SD. The objective of the Demonstrator is to validate whether a future 1-tonne experiment can achieve a background goal of one count per tonne-year in a narrow region of interest around the 76Ge neutrinoless double-betadecay peak.

A possible mechanism of the virtual leptoquark scalar intermediate boson exchange connected with a contribution of the right-handed nucleon currents to the free betadecay is demonstrated. The extension of the hypothesis can be associated with the realization of the same mechanism in the betadecay via the emission of right-handed neutrino (left-handed antineutrino). It is shown that a hypothesis of this kind leads to appearance of scalar and tensor terms in the effective Hamiltonian of weak interaction, and these terms include the right-handed neutrinos. The relevant experimental data are discussed [ru

Several properties of neutrinos, such as their absolute mass, their possible Majorana nature or the mechanisms that lead to small neutrino masses, are still unknown. The EXO-200 experiment is trying to answer some of these questions by searching for the hypothetical neutrinoless double betadecay of the isotope {sup 136}Xe. This thesis describes an analysis of two years of detector data, which yields a lower limit on the half-life of neutrinoless double betadecay of {sup 136}Xe of 1.1 x 10{sup 25} years.

$\\beta$-decay experiments, are a primary source of information for nuclear structure studies and at the same time complementary to in-beam investigations far from stability. Although both types of experiment are mainly based on $\\gamma$-ray spectroscopy, they face different experimental problems. The so-called $\\textit{Pandemonium effect}$ is a critical problem in $\\beta$-decay. In this contribution we will present a solution to this problem using total absorption spectroscopy methods. We will also present some examples of experiments carried out with the total absorption spectrometers TAS at GSI and Lucrecia recently installed at CERN. (25 refs).

Beta-decay experiments are a primary source of information for nuclear structure studies and at the same time complementary to in-beam investigations far from stability. Although both types of experiment are mainly based on {gamma} ray spectroscopy, they face different experimental problems. The so called Pandemonium effect [1] is a critical problem in {beta}-decay. In this contribution we will present a solution to this problem using total absorption spectroscopy methods. We will also present some examples of experiments carried out with the total absorption spectrometers TAS at GSI and Lucrecia recently installed at CERN. (Author) 25 refs., 4 figs.

This work addresses long-standing issues of fundamental interest in elementary particle physics. The most important outcome of this work is a new limit on neutrinoless double betadecay. This is an extremely rare and long-sought-after type of radioactive decay. If discovered, it would require changes in the standard model of the elementary constituents of matter, and would prove that neutrinos and antineutrinos are the same, a revolutionary concept in particle physics. Neutrinos are major components of the matter in the universe that are so small and so weakly interacting with other matter that their masses have not yet been discovered. A discovery of neutrinoless double betadecay could help determine the neutrino masses. An important outcome of the work on this project was the Colorado State University role in operating the EXO-200 neutrinoless double betadecay experiment and in analysis of the data from this experiment. One type of double betadecay of the isotope "1"3"6Xe, the two-neutrino variety, was discovered in this work. Although the other type of double betadecay, the neutrinoless variety, was not yet discovered in this work, a world's best sensitivity of 1.9x10"2"5 year half-life was obtained. This result rules out a previous claim of a positive result in a different isotope. This work also establishes that the masses of the neutrinos are less than one millionth of that of electrons. A unique EXO-200 analysis, in which the CSU group had a leading role, has established for the first time ever in a liquid noble gas the fraction of daughter atoms from alpha and betadecay that are ionized. This result has important impact on other pending studies, including nucleon decay and barium tagging. Novel additional discoveries include multiphoton ionization of liquid xenon with UV pulsed lasers, which may find application in calibration of future noble liquid detectors, and studies of association and dissociation reactions of Ba"+ ions in gaseous xenon. Through

Jan 21, 2016 ... CMD model. In addition, we explore the interacting neutrino dark-energy model, where the ... This decay has a small energy release (E0 ≃ 18.6 keV) and a convenient lifetime (T1/2 = 12.3 yr). As the ...... Research Programme funded by the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. (Grant No.

A total of 24 new β-delayed proton precursors and several new decay branches in the region of 56 151 Yb, 149 Er, and 147 Dy, pronounced structure in the proton spectra has been observed. An interpretation of this structure in the framework of ''doorway'' states is proposed. 25 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

We report the preliminary results from a study of the double betadecay of 150 Nd to the first 0 + excited state of 150 Sm. Our data consists of 50 days of counting 5 kg of natural Nd 2 O 3 at the LBNL-Oroville low background facility. The deduced lower limit for the half life of this decay mode is 4.9.10 19 years. (orig.)

In 1920s, a long-lasting controversy on the interpretation of nuclear beta spectrum arose between Lise Meitner and Charles Drummond Ellis. This controversy, and the reactions from the contending parties when it was settled, reflect clearly the difference between the scientific communities in Berlin and Cambridge at that time. The Meitner-Ellis controversy ended in 1929, and it left an anomaly that attracted leading theoretical physicists. A new dispute, this time between Niels Bohr and Wolfgang Pauli, broke out. It concerned the explanation of the continuity of the primary beta particles and dominated the discussions for the next five years. Pauli argued for a new particle, and Bohr for a new theory; both suggestions were radical steps, but they reflected two different ways of doing physics.

The 30 Na β decay was studied on-line by means of mass-separation techniques. Gamma-ray, gamma-gamma, neutron-gamma spectra, neutron time-of-flight singles and γ-coincidence measurements, were registered. High-energy neutron branches (E n >2 MeV) were found complementing previouly reported data. A 30 Na β-decay scheme to 30 Mg bound and unbound states is established. The distribution of the transition strength as a function of the excitation energy for particle-unbound levels in 30 Mg is compared to shell-model calculations performed in the 0-12 MeV excitation energy range. An overall renormalization yields a B(GT) quenching factor of 0.28 substantially lower than generally observed in this mass region. Three levels in 29 Mg which are strongly populated via the 1n-channel are related to negative parity intruder states

The β-decay of 59 151 Pr 92 to the levels in 60 151 Nd 91 has been studied from the fission products of 235 U using an on-line isotope separator (KUR-ISOL). Gamma-rays and conversion electrons have been measured. Conversion coefficients have been determined for the first time. The precise decay scheme is proposed up to 2430 keV. The newly observed 65 γ-rays and 16 levels are incorporated in it. The deduced level scheme of 151 Nd was compared to the calculated level scheme on the basis of the rotation-vibration coupling model with a Nilsson potential. Low-lying levels were well reproduced by this model. (author)

The MSW or vacuum oscillation solution of the solar neutrino problem can be reconciled with possible existence of the (ββ) oν decay with a half-line corresponding to an effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino modul m ee approx. (0.1 - 1.0) eV. The phenomenological consequences of such a possibility are analyzed and the implications for the mechanisms of neutrino mass generation are considered. (author). 31 refs, 2 figs

Interest in, and the relevance of, next-generation 0 nu betabeta-decay experiments is increasing. Even with nonzero neutrino mass strongly suggested by SNO, Super Kamiokande, and similar experiments sensitive to delta m sup 2 , 0 nu betabeta-decay experiments are still the only way to establish the Dirac or Majorana nature of neutrinos by measuring effective electron neutrino mass, . Various theorists have recently argued in favor of a neutrino mass between 0.01 and 1 eV. The Majorana Project aims to probe this effective neutrino mass range, reaching a sensitivity of 0.02-0.07 eV. The experiment relies entirely on proven technology and has been devised based upon the materials, technology, and data analysis demonstrated to produce the lowest background per kilogram of fiducial germanium. The project plan includes 500 kg of germanium detector material enriched to 85% in sup 7 sup 6 Ge, specialized pulse-acquisition electronics and detector segmentation for background rejection, and underground electroformed ...

We discuss the systematic decomposition of all dimension-7 (d=7) lepton number violating operators. These d=7 operators produce momentum enhanced contributions to the long-range part of the 0νββ decay amplitude and thus are severely constrained by existing half-live limits. In our list of possible models one can find contributions to the long-range amplitude discussed previously in the literature, such as the left-right symmetric model or scalar leptoquarks, as well as some new models not considered before. The d=7 operators generate Majorana neutrino mass terms either at tree-level, 1-loop or 2-loop level. We systematically compare constraints derived from the mass mechanism to those derived from the long-range 0νββ decay amplitude and classify our list of models accordingly. We also study one particular example decomposition, which produces neutrino masses at 2-loop level, can fit oscillation data and yields a large contribution to the long-range 0νββ decay amplitude, in some detail.

Some of the problems that arise in the evaluation of decay-schemes data to obtain values for the intensities of beta transitions are discussed. As examples of these problems, the decay schemes of 87 Br and 233 Pa are examined. No specific solutions to these problems are offered; but by pointing out to the participants in the International Nuclear Structure and Decay Data Evaluation Network, and to others, it is hoped that a general understanding of them can be gained, which may ultimately lead to a consistent means of dealing with them. 14 refs., 2 figs

The study of neutrino properties is one of the fundamental challenges in particle physics nowadays. Fifty years of investigations established that neutrinos are massive but the absolute mass scale has not yet been measured. Moreover its true nature is still unknown. Is the neutrino its own antiparticle (thus violating the lepton number) as proposed by Majorana in 1937? The only way to probe the neutrino nature is through the observation of Neutrinoless Double BetaDecay (0{nu}{beta}{beta}), a very rare spontaneous nuclear transition which emits two electrons and no neutrinos. In this paper, after a brief introduction to the theoretical framework of Majorana's neutrino, a presentation of experimental challenges posed by 0{nu}{beta}{beta} search will be given as well as an overview of present status and future perpectives of experiments.

The {beta} decay of the neutron-deficient isotope {sup 103}In was investigated by using total absorption {gamma}-ray spectrometry on mass-separated sources. The measurement reveals a high-lying resonance of the {beta}-decay strength in striking disagreement with high-resolution {gamma}-ray data. The result is discussed in comparison with shell-model predictions. (orig.)

We propose to perform a detailed study of the $\\beta$-decay of the dripline nucleus $^{31}$Ar. This will allow a detailed study of the $\\beta$-delayed 3$p$-decay as well as provide important information on the resonances of $^{30}$S and $^{29}$P, in particular the ratio between the $p$- and $\\gamma$- partial widths relevant for astrophysics.

We examine the pion realization of the short ranged supersymmetric (SUSY) mechanism of neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ-decay). It originates from the R-parity violating quark-lepton interactions of the SUSY extensions of the standard model of the electroweak interactions. We argue that pions are dominant SUSY mediators in 0νββ-decay. The corresponding nuclear matrix elements for potentially 0νββ-decaying isotopes are calculated within the proton-neutron renormalized quasiparticle random phase approximation (pn-RQRPA). We define those isotopes which are most sensitive to the SUSY signal and outlook the present experimental situation with the 0νββ-decay searches for the SUSY. Upper limits on the R-parity violating 1st generation Yukawa coupling λ' 111 are derived from various 0νββ - experiments

The potential of the GENIUS (GErmanium in liquid NItrogen Underground Setup) experiment, proposed the successor of the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment, for the search for neutrinoless double-betadecay, the direct search for neutralino Cold Dark Matter and for other physics beyond the Standard Model are presented. The current status of the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment will be reviewed [ru

The potential of the GENIUS (GErmanium in liquid NItrogen Underground Setup) experiment, proposed as the successor of the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment, for the search for neutrinoless double-betadecay, the direct search for neutralino Cold Dark Matter, and for other physics beyond the Standard Model will be presented. The current status of the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment will be reviewed

Double betadecay is indispensable to solve the question of the neutrino mass matrix together with ν oscillation experiments. The most sensitive experiment since eight years - the HEIDELBERG - MOSCOW experiment in Gran Sasso - already now, with the experimental limit of ν > 7 Be) solar neutrinos. A GENIUS Test Facility has just been funded and will come into operation by the end of 2001

Neutrinoless double-betadecay searches play a major role in determining the nature of neutrinos, the existence of a lepton violating process, and the effective Majorana neutrino mass. The Majorana and Gerda Collaborations are operating arrays of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-betadecay in 76Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator is operating at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota while the Gerda experiment is operating at LNGS in Italy. The Gerda and Majorana Demonstrator experiments have achieved the lowest backgrounds in the neutrinoless double-betadecay region of interest. These results, coupled with the superior energy resolution (0.1%) of Ge detectors demonstrate that 76Ge is an ideal isotope for a large next generation experiment. The LEGEND collaboration, with 220 members from 47 institutions around the world, has been formed to pursue a ton scale 76Ge experiment. Building on the successes of Gerda and Majorana, the LEGEND collaboration aims to develop a phased neutrinoless double-betadecay experimental program with discovery potential at a half-life significantly longer than 1027 years. This talk will present the initial results from the Majorana Demonstrator and Gerda experiments and the plan for the LEGEND program.

Neutrinoless double betadecay is a lepton-number violating process predicted by many extensions of the standard model. It is actively searched for in several candidate isotopes within many experimental projects. The status of the experimental initiatives which are looking for the neutrinoless double betadecay in isotopes other than 136Xe is reviewed, with special emphasis given to the projects that passed the R&D phase. The results recently released by the experiment GERDA are also summarized and discussed. The GERDA data give no positive indication of neutrinoless double betadecay of 76Ge and disfavor in a model-independent way the long-standing observation claim on the same isotope. The lower limit reported by GERDA for the half-life of neutrinoless double betadecay of 76Ge is T1/20ν > 2.1 ṡ1025 yr (90% C.L.), or T1/20ν > 3.0 ṡ1025 yr, when combined with the results of other 76Ge predecessor experiments.

We study neutrinoless double betadecay in left-right symmetric extension of the standard model with type I and type II seesaw origin of neutrino masses. Due to the enhanced gauge symmetry as well as extended scalar sector, there are several new physics sources of neutrinoless double betadecay in this model. Ignoring the left-right gauge boson mixing and heavy-light neutrino mixing, we first compute the contributions to neutrinoless double betadecay for type I and type II dominant seesaw separately and compare with the standard light neutrino contributions. We then repeat the exercise by considering the presence of both type I and type II seesaw, having non-negligible contributions to light neutrino masses and show the difference in results from individual seesaw cases. Assuming the new gauge bosons and scalars to be around a TeV, we constrain different parameters of the model including both heavy and light neutrino masses from the requirement of keeping the new physics contribution to neutrinoless double betadecay amplitude below the upper limit set by the GERDA experiment and also satisfying bounds from lepton flavor violation, cosmology and colliders.

A brief account of the design, experimental set up and status of the Frejus experiments on the neutrinoless double betadecay of 76 Ge is presented. The theoretical implications and expectatives of this experimental research are analized. A comparison with other dedicated experiments is also reported. (author)

Two-electron events resembling double betadecay are being observed at energies beyond the die-off of the spectrum predicted for the two-neutrino mode. The anomaly appears in three isotopes having different half lives and Q-values. Tests are now underway to determine its origin. (orig.)

The neutrinoless double betadecay is forbidden in the standard model of the electroweak and strong interaction but allowed in most Grand Unified Theories (GUT's). Only if the neutrino is a Majorana particle (identical with its antiparticle) and if it has a mass, the neutrinoless double betadecay is allowed. Apart of one claim that the neutrinoless double betadecay in 76 Ge is measured, one has only upper limits for this transition probability. But even the upper limits allow to give upper limits for the electron Majorana neutrino mass and upper limits for parameters of GUT's and the minimal R-parity violating supersymmetric model. One further can give lower limits for the vector boson mediating mainly the right-handed weak interaction and the heavy mainly right-handed Majorana neutrino in left-right symmetric GUT's. For that one has to assume that the specific mechanism is the leading one for the neutrinoless double betadecay and one has to be able to calculate reliably the corresponding nuclear matrix elements. In the present contribution, one discusses the accuracy of the present status of calculating the nuclear matrix elements and the corresponding limits of GUT's and supersymmetric parameters

The experimental achievements and the current program with the LPCTrap device installed at the LIRAT beam line of the SPIRAL1-GANIL facility are presented. The device is dedicated to the study of the weak interaction at low energy by means of precise measurements of the {beta}-{nu} angular correlation parameter. Technical aspects as well as the main results are reviewed. The future program with new available beams is briefly discussed. (copyright 2013 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The LUCIFER project aims at deploying the first array of enriched scintillating bolometers for the investigation of neutrinoless double-betadecay of {sup 82}Se. The matrix which embeds the source is an array of ZnSe crystals, where enriched {sup 82}Se is used as decay isotope. The radiopurity of the initial components employed for manufacturing crystals, that can be operated as bolometers, is crucial for achieving a null background level in the region of interest for double-betadecay investigations. In this work, we evaluated the radioactive content in 2.5 kg of 96.3 % enriched {sup 82}Se metal, measured with a high-purity germanium detector at the Gran Sasso deep underground laboratory. The limits on internal contaminations of primordial decay chain elements of {sup 232}Th, {sup 238}U and {sup 235}U are respectively: <61, <110 and <74 μBq/kg at 90 % C.L. The extremely low-background conditions in which the measurement was carried out and the high radiopurity of the {sup 82}Se allowed us to establish the most stringent lower limits on the half-lives of the double-betadecay of {sup 82}Se to 0{sub 1}{sup +}, 2{sub 2}{sup +} and 2{sub 1}{sup +} excited states of {sup 82}Kr of 3.4·10{sup 22}, 1.3·10{sup 22} and 1.0·10{sup 22} y, respectively, with a 90 % C.L.

The LUCIFER project aims at deploying the first array of enriched scintillating bolometers for the investigation of neutrinoless double-betadecay of {sup 82}Se. The matrix which embeds the source is an array of ZnSe crystals, where enriched {sup 82}Se is used as decay isotope. The radiopurity of the initial components employed for manufacturing crystals, that can be operated as bolometers, is crucial for achieving a null background level in the region of interest for double-betadecay investigations. In this work, we evaluated the radioactive content in 2.5 kg of 96.3 % enriched {sup 82}Se metal, measured with a high-purity germanium detector at the Gran Sasso deep underground laboratory. The limits on internal contaminations of primordial decay chain elements of {sup 232}Th, {sup 238}U and {sup 235}U are respectively: <61, <110 and <74 μBq/kg at 90 % C.L. The extremely low-background conditions in which the measurement was carried out and the high radiopurity of the {sup 82}Se allowed us to establish the most stringent lower limits on the half-lives of the double-betadecay of {sup 82}Se to 0{sub 1}{sup +}, 2{sub 2}{sup +} and 2{sub 1}{sup +} excited states of {sup 82}Kr of 3.4.10{sup 22}, 1.3.10{sup 22} and 1.0.10{sup 22} y, respectively, with a 90 % C.L. (orig.)

The more successful grand unified theories predict that the neutrino is identical with its antiparticle and therefore is a Majorana neutrino which violates lepton number conservation. Such a neutrino should have a finite mass and also a small right handed weak interaction. If the double neutrinoless betadecay is observed with the full decay energy in the two electrons, it would establish that the electron neutrino is a Majorana particle. It is shown that the relativistic corrections of the nucleonic wave functions are essential for determining an upper limit of the right handedness from the measured lower limit of the life-time against the neutrinoless double betadecay. The upper limit for the right handedness of the weak interaction derived from the lower limit of the life-times against the neutrinoless betadecay is vertical stroke vertical stroke -8 and the upper limit for the neutrino mass is vertical stroke ν m>vertical stroke + -decay in proton rich nuclei, one can explain the long standing puzzle of the quenching of the Gamow-Teller strength in agreement with the data. (orig.)

The GERDA experiment searches for the neutrinoless double betadecay in Ge-76, by operating bare HPGe detectors in ultra-pure liquid Ar. This dissertation presents a first decomposition of the background measured in the current data-taking phase. The background at the energy of interest was found to be dominated by 214 Bi, 208 Tl and 42 K gamma-rays, with secondary contributions from 42 K and 214 Bi beta-rays, and 210 Po alpha-rays. For the forthcoming upgrade of the apparatus, a new HPGe detector design (BEGe) has been studied, with focus on its capability of suppressing the identified backgrounds through pulse shape analysis. This included the development of a comprehensive modeling of the detectors and the experimental characterization of their response to surface interactions. The achieved results show that GERDA can improve the present limit on the neutrinoless double betadecay half-life by an order of magnitude.

Investigations of the effect of an electromagnetic wave field on the beta-decay process are used to analyze the tritium-decay experimental data on the neutrino mass. It is shown that the electromagnetic wave can distort the beta spectrum, shifting the end point to the higher energy region. This phenomenon is purely classical and it is associated with the electron acceleration in the radiation field. Since strong magnetic fields exist in setups for precise measurement of the neutrino mass, the indicated field can appear owing to the synchrotron radiation mechanism. The phenomenon under consideration can explain the experimentally observed anomalies in the spectrum of the decay electrons; in particular, the effect of the 'negative square of the neutrino mass'

The transition probability for enhancement of forbidden nuclear betadecay by an applied plane-wave electromagnetic field is calculated in a nonrelativistic spinless approximation by a Green's function method. The calculation involves a stationary-phase approximation. The stationary phase points in the presence of an intense field are located in very different positions than they are in the field-free case. In order-of-magnitude terms, the results are completely consistent with an earlier, much more complete wave-function calculation which includes spin and relativistic effects. Both the present Green's function calculation and the earlier wave function calculation give electromagnetic contributions in first-forbidden nuclear betadecay matrix elements which are of order (R 0 /lambda-dash-bar/sub C/) 2 with respect to allowed decays, where R 0 is the nuclear radius and lambda-dash-bar/sub C/ is the electron Compton wavelength

A fully consistent calculation of muon capture and betadecay rates is presented, based on a microscopic theoretical framework describing the semileptonic weak interaction processes. Nuclear ground state is determined using the Relativistic Hartree-Bogolyubov (RHB) model with density dependent meson-nucleon coupling constants, and transition rates are calculated via proton-neutron relativistic quasiparticle RPA using the same interaction as in the RHB equations. Muon capture rates are calculated for a wide range of nuclei along the valley of stability, from {sup 12}C to {sup 244}Pu, with accuracy of approximately 30%, using the interaction DD-ME2. Previous studies of betadecay rates have only taken into account Gamow-Teller transitions. We extend this approach by including forbidden transitions and systematically study their contribution to decay rates of exotic nuclei along the r-process path, which are important for constraining the conditions in which nucleosynthesis takes place.

We propose to study the $\\beta$-decay of $^{38}$Ca. In a first instance, we intend to perform a high-precision study of the half-life of this nucleus as well as a measurement of its $\\beta$-decay Q-value with ISOLTRAP. At a later stage, we propose to study its decay branches to determine the super-allowed branching ratio with high precision. These measurements are essential to improve our understanding of the theoretical corrections (in particular the $\\delta$c correction factor) needed to calculate the universal Ft value from the ft value determined for individual nuclei. For this nucleus, the correction factor is predicted to increase significantly as compared to the nine well-studied nuclei between $^{10}$C and $^{54}$Co and the model calculations used to determine the corrections, in particular the shell-model calculations, are well under control in this mass region. Therefore, the T$_{Z}$= -1 nuclei between A=18 and A=38 are ideal test cases for the correction factors which limit today the precision on t...

The Los Alamos tritium experiment employs a gaseous tritium source and a magnetic spectrometer to determine the mass of the electron antineutrino from the shape of the tritium beta spectrum. Since publication of the first result from this apparatus (m/sub nu/ < 27 eV at 95% confidence), work has concentrated on improving the data rates. A 96-element Si microstrip array detector has been installed to replace the single proportional counter at the spectrometer focus, resulting in greatly increased efficiency. Measurements of the 1s photoionization spectrum of Kr now obviate the need for reliance on the theoretical shakeup and shakeoff spectrum of Kr in determining the spectrometer resolution. 19 refs., 3 figs

Recent developments in pursuance of the 17-keV neutrino are reviewed. Several different experiments found anomalies in β decay spectra which were consistently interpreted as evidence for a heavy neutrino. On the other hand, recent null results definitively rule out the existence of a 17-keV neutrino, as well as escaping criticisms applicable to earlier experiments. While missing links remain, it seems that any strong evidence for a 17-keV neutrino has vanished. Specifically, the anomalies observed in 35 S and 63 Ni spectra at Oxford can be reinterpreted in terms of electron scattering effects. In addition, the discrepancy amongst internal bremsstrahlung measurements has an instrumental origin, and recent results disfavour a 17-keV neutrino. Anomalies persist in the low energy region of the tritium spectrum which deserve further investigation

We present the first ab initio calculations of neutrinoless double-β decay matrix elements in A=6-12 nuclei using variational Monte Carlo wave functions obtained from the Argonne v18 two-nucleon potential and Illinois-7 three-nucleon interaction. We study both light Majorana neutrino exchange and potentials arising from a large class of multi-TeV mechanisms of lepton-number violation. Our results provide benchmarks to be used in testing many-body methods that can be extended to the heavy nuclei of experimental interest. In light nuclei we also study the impact of two-body short-range correlations and the use of different forms for the transition operators, such as those corresponding to different orders in chiral effective theory.

The proton separation energy of 34 Cl has been measured to be 5143.30(5) keV in a series of overlapping and self-consistent experiments involving the study of three resonances in the 33 S(p,γ) reaction, using a variety of techniques in laboratories in Auckland and Florence. This figure is in disagreement with the only other published value. By combining the proton separation energy with the only measured value for the 34 S neutron separation energy, the Q ec for the 34 Cl superallowed decay becomes 5491.48(12) keV. Some comments are offered on the associated 34 S(p,n) 34 Cl threshold energy measurement

The internal Bremsstrahlung (IB) spectrum associated with the unique first-forbidden β decay of 9 0Y is measured employing the conventional β-stopper technique with a 5 x 5 cm NaI (T 1) scintillation spectrometer in the energy range (50-2000 keV). All the necessary corrections are made. In order to analyze the experimental data, a response matrix having the dimensions of 64 energy bins and 474 channels is constructed.with the help of the detector assembly response matrix, the true IB energy spectrum is obtained by iteratively unfolding the experimental pulse-height spectrum. The experimental results are compared with the corresponding theoretical distributions due to Knipp and Uhlenbeck and Bloch (KUB), lewis and ford (L F), and ford and martin (FM). The results show reasonable agreement with the detour theory of ford and martin.3 fig

This is an experimental study of beta-particle decay heat from 235U, 239Pu and 238U aggregate fission products over delay times 0.4-40,000 seconds. The experimental results below 2s for 235U and 239Pu, and below 20s for 238U, are the first such results reported. The experiments were conducted at the UMASS Lowell 5.5-MV Van de Graaff accelerator and 1-MW swimming-pool research reactor. Thermalized neutrons from the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction induced fission in 238U and 239Pu, and fast neutrons produced in the reactor initiated fission in 238U. A helium-jet/tape-transport system rapidly transferred fission fragments from a fission chamber to a low background counting area. Delay times after fission were selected by varying the tape speed or the position of the spray point relative to the beta spectrometer that employed a thin-scintillator-disk gating technique to separate beta-particles from accompanying gamma-rays. Beta and gamma sources were both used in energy calibration. Based on low-energy(energies 0-10 MeV. Measured beta spectra were unfolded for their energy distributions by the program FERD, and then compared to other measurements and summation calculations based on ENDF/B-VI fission-product data performed on the LANL Cray computer. Measurements of the beta activity as a function of decay time furnished a relative normalization. Results for the betadecay heat are presented and compared with other experimental data and the summation calculations.

A study of the betadecays of 126 Cd and 126 In using the TRISTAN on-line isotope separator facility is reported. Gamma-ray singles measurements were made for both decays usng Ge(Li) and LEPS (low energy photon spectrometer) detectors. In addition, gamma--gamma coincidence measurements and gamma multiscale measurements were made for both decays using Ge(Li) detectors. The half-life for 126 Cd was determined to be 0.506 +- 0.015 sec., and the half-lives for the low- and high-spin 126 In isomers were determined to be 1.83 +- 0.11 sec. and 1.96 +- 0.10 sec., respectively. A total of 11 gamma rays were observed in the decay of 126 Cd, and all but one were placed in a level scheme for 126 In. A total of 48 gamma rays were observed in the decay of the low- and high-spin 126 In isomers and all were placed in a level scheme for 126 Sn. Spin and parity assignments were deduced, whenever possible, on the basis of logft values and gamma decay selection rules. The 126 In decay schemes (one has been proposed for each isomer) are compared with earlier decay studies and with results from 124 Sn(t,p) 126 Sn reaction experiments. The systematics associated with the level schemes are discussed and a comparison is made with the nuclear shell model. 49 references

We have recently developed a gas based detection system called AstroBox, motivated by nuclear astrophysics studies. The goal was to detect very low-energy protons from {beta}-delayed p-decay with reduced beta background and improved energy resolution. The detector was tested using the {beta}-delayed proton-emitter 23Al previously studied with a set-up based on thin double-sided Si strip detectors. The proton spectrum obtained with AstroBox showed no beta background down to {approx}80 keV. The low energy (206 keV, 267 keV) proton peaks were positively identified, well separated, and the resolution was improved.

An experiment was performed at GANIL to observe isomeric- and beta-delayed gamma rays from very neutron-rich nuclei around 74Ni. Fragmentation products of the 86Kr beam at 58 AMeV were studied using new devices: the LISE 2000 spectrometer and detectors from the EXOGAM germanium array. The primary aim of the experiment was to find the 8+ microsecond isomer in 76Ni and to perform betadecay spectroscopy of Co nuclei. We have successfully measured the beta delayed gammas from the decay of 72Co to 72Ni. The energies for the lowest excited states in 72Ni are proposed, with the first 2+ state at 1096 keV. These findings suggest a solution of the problem of the disappearance of the 8+ isomer in 72Ni. We also measured betadecay of other neutron-rich Co isotopes including 70Co. First evidence was found for a new short lived isomer, most likely the Iπ=8+ state, in 76Ni

The spectra of total γ-absorption in the decays of some Lutecium, Thulium and Cesium isotopes have been measured. The probabilities for level population in the decay of the isotopes have been determined. The deduced beta strength functions reveal pronounced structure. Calculations of the strength functions using the Saxon-Woods potential and the residual Gamow-Teller interaction are presented. It is shown that in β + decay of light Thulium and Cesium isotopes the strength function comprises more than 70% of the Gamow-Teller excitations with μsub(tau) = +1. This result is the first direct observation of the Gamow-Teller resonance in β + decay of nuclei with Tsub(z) > O. (orig.)

Prominent features of the double betadecay processes are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the neutrino masses and the quasiparticle random phase approximation (GRPA). The suppression mechanism for the ββ-decay transition rates, proposed by Vogel and Zirnbauer, is found to be closely related to the restoration of SU(4) symmetry. It is suggested that the extreme sensitivity of the ββ-decay amplitude on the proton-neutron coupling is a consequence of the explicit violation of the SU(4) symmetry and therefore an artifact of the model. A prescription is given for fixing this interaction strength within the GRPA itself, which in this way acquires predicting power on both single and double β-decay lifetimes. (author) [pt

In this paper neutrino-less double β decays (Oν ββ) of /sup 76/Ge were studied by means of the newly developed ELEGANTS (Electron gamma-ray neutrino spectrometer). It consists of a 171 cc pure Ge detector surrounded bu a big 4π-NaI detector, and active and inactive filters. Measurement of both the electron signal from the Ge detector and γ-ray signals from the 4π-NaI detector made it possible to select the true double decay events from background events due to the other radio-active isotopes and cosmic rays. The ELEGANTS showed the highest sensitivity for detecting the neutrino-less double β decay. The preliminary data obtained so far give a lower limit of the half life T/sub 1/2/≥2.2 10/sup 22/y for the O/sup +/→O/sup +/ Oν ββ decay and T/sub 1/2/ ≥1.5.10/sup 22/y for the O/sup +/→2/sup +/ Oν ββ decay of /sup 76/Ge

We perform a global fit of the most relevant neutrinoless double betadecay experiments within the standard model with massive Majorana neutrinos. Using Bayesian inference makes it possible to take into account the theoretical uncertainties on the nuclear matrix elements in a fully consistent way. First, we analyze the data used to claim the observation of neutrinoless double betadecay in 76Ge, and find strong evidence (according to Jeffrey's scale) for a peak in the spectrum and moderate evidence for that the peak is actually close to the energy expected for the neutrinoless decay. We also find a significantly larger statistical error than the original analysis, which we include in the comparison with other data. Then, we statistically test the consistency between this claim with that of recent measurements using 136Xe. We find that the two data sets are about 40 to 80 times more probable under the assumption that they are inconsistent, depending on the nuclear matrix element uncertainties and the prior on the smallest neutrino mass. Hence, there is moderate to strong evidence of incompatibility, and for equal prior probabilities the posterior probability of compatibility is between 1.3% and 2.5%. If one, despite such evidence for incompatibility, combines the two data sets, we find that the total evidence of neutrinoless double betadecay is negligible. If one ignores the claim, there is weak evidence against the existence of the decay. We also perform approximate frequentist tests of compatibility for fixed ratios of the nuclear matrix elements, as well as of the no signal hypothesis. Generalization to other sets of experiments as well as other mechanisms mediating the decay is possible.

The aim of the beta-beams is to produce pure electronic neutrino and anti-neutrino highly energetic beams, coming from beta radioactive disintegration decay of the 18 Ne 10+ and 6 He 2+ , directed to experiment situated in the Frejus tunnel. The high ion intensities are stored in a ring, until the ions decay. The losses due to the decay of the radioactive ions are compensated with regular injections. These should be done in presence of the circulating beam. The new ions are injected at a different energy from the stored beam energy, the design of the ring must enable this type of injection and accept the injected and stored beams. In this note, we will focus on the study of the design of such a ring at the first and second orders. We have reached the constraint on the dispersion in the injection section: a horizontal dispersion superior to 10 m with β x = 20 m. We have put sextupoles in the arcs to correct the chromaticity. In the same time, we have compensated the third order resonances to have a large enough dynamic aperture. So the decay ring accepts injected and stored beams. In a top-down approach, the high stored intensities impose to take into account the space charge effects. However, due to the merging, the beam blows up after each injection in the longitudinal space charge, which imposes to include a momentum collimation section in the decay ring

It is well known that there exist many mechanisms that may contribute to neutrinoless double betadecay (0nbb-decay). By exploiting the fact that the associated nuclear matrix elements are target dependent we show that, given definite experimental results on a sufficient number of targets, one can determine or sufficiently constrain all lepton violating parameters including the mass term. As a specific example we show that, assuming the observation of the 0nbb-decay in three different nuclei, e.g., 76Ge, 100Mo and 130Te, and just three lepton number violating mechanisms (light and heavy neutrino mass mechanisms as well as R-parity breaking SUSY mechanism) being active, there are only four different solutions for the lepton violating parameters, provided that they are relatively real. In particular, assuming evidence of the 0nbb-decay of 76Ge, the effective neutrino Majorana mass |m_bb| can be almost uniquely extracted by utilizing other existing constraints (cosmological observations and tritium beta-decay ex...

A new investigation of neutron emission in the $\\beta$-decay of $^{11}$Li is proposed. The principal goal of this study will be to directly measure, for the first time for any system, two $\\beta$-delayed neutrons in coincidence and determine the energy and angular correlations. This will be possible using liquid scintillator detectors, capable of distinguishing between neutrons and ambient $\\gamma$ and cosmic-rays, coupled to a new digital electronics and acquisition system. In parallel, a considerably more refined picture of the single-neutron emission will be obtained.

The Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment is searching for the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76 Ge by operating bare germanium diodes in liquid argon. GERDA is located at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy. During Phase I, a total exposure of 21.6 kg yrand a background index of 0.01 cts/(keVkg yr) were reached. No signal was observed and a lower limit of T 0ν 1/2 > 2.1 · 10 25 yr(90% C.L.) is derived for the half life of the 0νββ decay of 76 Ge. (paper)

The Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment is searching for the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76Ge by operating bare germanium diodes in liquid argon. GERDA is located at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy. During Phase I, a total exposure of 21.6 kg yrand a background index of 0.01 cts/(keVkg yr) were reached. No signal was observed and a lower limit of T0ν1/2 > 2.1 · 1025 yr(90% C.L.) is derived for the half life of the 0νββ decay of 76Ge.

TeO 2 thermal detectors are being used by the Milano group to search for neutrinoless double betadecay of 130 Te. An upper limit for neutrinoless decay half life of 2.1 x 10 22 yr at 90% CL obtained with a 334 g TeO 2 detector has been previously reported. To improve the sensitivity of the experiment an array of twenty 340 g TeO 2 crystals will be realised in the next future. As a first step toward the realisation of that experiment a 4 crystal detector has been tested in the Gran Sasso refrigerator. Detector performances, data acquisition and analysis are discussed. (orig.)

The main goal of the present proposal is to measure the continuous spectrum of deuterons emitted in the $\\beta$-decay of $^{6}$He. In particular, we want to focus on the low energy part of the spectrum, below 400 keV, which could not be accessed by all previous experiments. For the decay spectroscopy the Warsaw Optical Time Projection Chamber (OTPC) will be used. The bunches of $^{6}$He ions produced by REX-ISOLDE facility will be implanted into the active volume of the OTPC, where the rare events of deuteron emission will be recorded, practically background free.

Beta-decay studies of very proton-rich nuclides allow to investigate the phenomenon of quenching of Gamow-Teller transitions. A presentation of the experimental techniques is followed by the discussion of preliminray results of the measurements in comparison to shell-model calculations. A corresponding reinvestigation is discussed. A mass-separated 48 Mn beam was used from 12 C( 40 Ca,p3n) reactions. The 48 Mn decay spectroscopy was performed simultaneously in two beam lines of the mass separator. (G.P.) 13 refs.; 2 figs

A decay spectroscopy study of the neutron-rich cobalt isotopes has been performed using fragmentation of a {sup 86}Kr{sup 36+} beam and the new LISE2000 spectrometer at GANIL. For {sup 71}Co and {sup 73}Co, the {beta}-delayed {gamma} radiation has been observed for the first time, and the half-lives were found to be 79(5) ms and 41(4) ms, respectively. Features of the decay are discussed qualitatively in terms of nuclear models. (orig.)

We have studied betadecays of M T 41 Ti shows a large, 10(8) %, isospin mixing of IAS and the Gamow-Teller strength is observed to be quenched by a factor of q 2 =0.64. These results can be reproduced qualitatively in our shell model calculations. We have observed for the first time proton and gamma decay of the isobaric analogue state in 23 Mg. Our results on the isospin mixing of the isobaric analogue state agrees well with the shell model calculations. The obtained proton branch of the IAS is used to extract the transition strength for the reaction 22 Na(p,γ) 23 Mg

We have observed $\\beta$-delayed proton emission from the neutron-rich nucleus $^{11}$Be by analysing a sample collected at the ISOLDE facility at CERN with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). With a branching ratio of (8.4 $\\pm$ 0.6)$\\times$ 10$^{-6}$ the strength of this decay mode, as measured by the B$_\\mathrm{GT}$-value, is unexpectedly high. The result is discussed within a simple single-particle model and could be interpreted as a quasi-free decay of the $^{11}$Be halo neutron into a single-proton state.

The sensitivity for double betadecay studies of 134 Xe and 124 Xe is investigated assuming a potential large scale Xe experiment developed for dark matter searches depleted in 136 Xe. The opportunity for an observation of the 2νββ - decay of 134 Xe is explored for various scenarios. A positive observation should be possible for all calculated nuclear matrix elements. The detection of 2ν ECEC of 124 Xe can be probed in all scenarios covering the theoretical predicted half-life uncertainties and a potential search for 126 Xe is discussed. The sensitivity to β + EC decay of 124 Xe is discussed and a positive observation might be possible, while β + β + decay still remains unobservable. The performed studies take into account solar pp–neutrino interactions, 85 Kr betadecay and remaining 136 Xe double betadecay as background components in the depleted detector. (paper)

The CUORE-0 experiment searches for neutrinoless double betadecay in ^{130}Te. It consists of an array of 52 tellurium dioxide crystals, operated as bolometers at a temperature of 10 mK, with a total mass of about 39 kg of TeO_2. CUORE-0 has been built to test the performance of the upcoming CUORE experiment and represents the largest ^{130}Te bolometric setup currently in operation. This experiment has been running in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy, since March 2013. We report the results of a search for neutrinoless double betadecay in 9.8 kg years ^{130}Te exposure, which allowed us to set the most stringent limit to date on this half-life. The performance of the detector in terms of background rate and energy resolution are also reported.

In the new 76 Ge double betadecay experiment Gerda [I. Abt et al., arXiv hep-ex/0404039; Gerda proposal, to be submitted to the Gran Sasso scientific committee] bare diodes of enriched 76 Ge will be operated in highly pure liquid nitrogen or argon. The goal is to reduce the background around Q ββ =2039 keV below 10 -3 counts/(kg-bar keV-bar y). With presently available diodes from the Igex and HdMs experiments the current evidence for neutrinoless double betadecay [H.-V. Klapdor-Kleingrothaus, et al., Mod. Phys. Lett. A16 (2001) 2409ff] can unambigously be checked within one year of measurement

We set an upper limit of 8 eV for the mass of the electron antineutrino from studying the betadecay of tritium. We use a gaseous molecular tritium source, a high resolution magnetic spectrometer and a low background counting system to minimize the systematic errors encountered in these measurements. Our calibration data with radioactive 83m Kr enables us to measure our system response function and a good deal of atomic physics data. In addition to our end point results we have made the first measurement of the tritium betadecay spectrum below 200 keV. We find an excess of very low energy electrons which arise from molecular processes of the 3 He-T + ion

The CUORE experiment is a large-scale bolometric detector seeking to observe the never-before-seen process of neutrinoless double betadecay. Predictions for CUORE's sensitivity to neutrinoless double betadecay allow for an understanding of the half-life ranges that the detector can probe, and also to evaluate the relative importance of different detector parameters. Currently, CUORE uses a Bayesian analysis based in BAT, which uses Metropolis-Hastings Markov Chain Monte Carlo, for its sensitivity studies. My work evaluates the viability and potential improvements of switching the Bayesian analysis to Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, realized through the program Stan and its Morpho interface. I demonstrate that the BAT study can be successfully recreated in Stan, and perform a detailed comparison between the results and computation times of the two methods.

It is proposed to study the structure of neutron-rich nuclei beyond $^{208}$Pb. The one-proton hole $^{211-215}$Tl and the semi magic $^{213}$Pb will be produced and studied via nuclear and atomic spectroscopy searching for long-lived isomers and investigating the $\\beta$-delayed $\\gamma$- emission to build level schemes. Information on the single particle structure in $^{211-215}$Pb, especially the position of the g$_{9/2}$ and i$_{11/2}$ neutron orbitals, will be extracted along with lifetimes. The $\\beta$-decay will be complemented with the higher spin selectivity that can be obtained by resonant laser ionization to single-out the decay properties of long-living isomers in $^{211,213}$Tl and $^{213}$Pb.

We present a new neutrinoless double betadecay concept: the high pressure selenium hexafluoride gas time projection chamber. A promising new detection technique is outlined which combines techniques pioneered in high pressure xenon gas, such as topological discrimination, with the high Q-value afforded by the double betadecay isotope 82Se. The lack of free electrons in SeF6 mandates the use of an ion TPC. The microphysics of ion production and drift, which have many nuances, are explored. Background estimates are presented, suggesting that such a detector may achieve background indices of better than 1 count per ton per year in the region of interest at the 100 kg scale, and still better at the ton-scale.

This work addresses long-standing issues of fundamental interest in elementary particle physics. The most important outcome of this work is a new limit on neutrinoless double betadecay. This is an extremely rare and long-sought-after type of radioactive decay. If discovered, it would require changes in the standard model of the elementary constituents of matter, and would prove that neutrinos and antineutrinos are the same, a revolutionary concept in particle physics. Neutrinos are major components of the matter in the universe that are so small and so weakly interacting with other matter that their masses have not yet been discovered. A discovery of neutrinoless double betadecay could help determine the neutrino masses. An important outcome of the work on this project was the Colorado State University role in operating the EXO-200 neutrinoless double betadecay experiment and in analysis of the data from this experiment. One type of double betadecay of the isotope 136Xe, the two-neutrino variety, was discovered in this work. Although the other type of double betadecay, the neutrinoless variety, was not yet discovered in this work, a world’s best sensitivity of 1.9x1025 year half-life was obtained. This result rules out a previous claim of a positive result in a different isotope. This work also establishes that the masses of the neutrinos are less than one millionth of that of electrons. A unique EXO-200 analysis, in which the CSU group had a leading role, has established for the first time ever in a liquid noble gas the fraction of daughter atoms from alpha and betadecay that are ionized. This result has important impact on other pending studies, including nucleon decay and barium tagging. Novel additional discoveries include multiphoton ionization of liquid xenon with UV pulsed lasers, which may find application in calibration of future noble liquid detectors, and studies of association and dissociation reactions of Ba

In 2004, the NEMO collaboration has started some preliminary studies for a next-generation double betadecay experiment: SuperNEMO. The possibility to use a large gaseous TPC has been investigated using simulation and extrapolation of former experiments. In this talk, I report on the reasons why such techniques have not been selected in 2004 and led the NEMO collaboration to reuse the techniques implemented within the NEMO3 detector.

In 2004, the NEMO collaboration has started some preliminary studies for a next-generation double betadecay experiment: SuperNEMO. The possibility to use a large gaseous TPC has been investigated using simulation and extrapolation of former experiments. In this talk, I report on the reasons why such techniques have not been selected in 2004 and led the NEMO collaboration to reuse the techniques implemented within the NEMO3 detector.

We discuss a recent global calculation of beta-decay rates in the self-consistent Skyrme quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA), with axially symmetric nuclear deformation treated explicitly. The calculation makes makes use of the finite-amplitude method, first proposed by Nakatsukasa and collaborators, to reduce computation time. The results are comparable in quality to those of several other global QRPA calculations. The QRPA may have reached the limit of its accuracy.

A model for the electroweak interactions with SU (3) L x U(1) N gauge symmetry is considered. It is shown that, it is the conservation of F = L + B which forbids massive neutrinos and the neutrinoless double betadecay, (β β) On u. Explicit and spontaneous breaking of F imply that the neutrinos have an arbitrary mass and (β β) On u proceeds also with some contributions that do not depend explicitly on the neutrino mass. (author)

The double betadecay electron energy spectra of 82 Se, 100 Mo, and 150 Nd have been measured with a time projection chamber, and departures from the expected two-neutrino spectral shapes have been observed. Efforts to reduce possible background contamination have been made, and tests are now being done in an effort to determine whether the anomalous signals are real effects, or simply experimental artifacts

Progress is reported on a new measurement of the betadecay asymmetry in 8 Li. Polarized 8 Li is produced via the reaction 7 Li(d,p) 8 Li using vector polarized deuterons from a crossed beam polarized source. Plastic scintillation electron counters are used to measure asymmetry, tensor polarization correlation and to monitor beam current. Results are graphed and systematic error sources are discussed. 4 refs

This report describes the publication of results of a search for neutrinoless double-betadecay of molybdenum 100 and preparation of a paper on statistical analysis techniques used, developments related to purification techniques for the molybdenum, and other related work; progress in redesign, rebuilding, and installation of the Brookhaven EVA detector's superconducting magnet and cryogenic system; and the testing of detector components for SLAC's BaBar experiment. 3 refs

The Gerda and Majorana projects, both searching for the neutrinoless double beta-decay of 76 Ge, are developing a joint Monte-Carlo simulation framework called MaGe. Such an approach has many benefits: the workload for the development of general tools is shared between more experts, the code is tested in more detail, and more experimental data is made available for validation

We present here a study of the three-body, nα 6 He particle break-up of 11 Be(10.6) following 11 Li β-decay. The emitted charged particles were detected in coincidence using a cubic set-up of highly segmented silicon detectors, allowing us to measure simultaneously energy and trajectory. The three body break-up of 11 Be(10.5) through the intermediate state 10 Be(9.6) was modeled using the multiple-level single-channel R-Matrix formalism

The first evidence for neutrinoless double betadecay has been observed in the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment, which is the most sensitive double betadecay experiment since ten years. This is the first evidence for lepton number violation and proves that the neutrino is a Majorana particle. It further shows that neutrino masses are degenerate. In addition it puts several stringent constraints on other physics beyond the Standard Model. The result from the HEIDEL-BERG-MOSCOW experiment is consistent with recent results from CMB investigations, with high energy cosmic rays, with the result from the g-2 experiment and with recent theoretical work. It is indirectly supported by the analysis of other Ge double beta experiments. The new project GENIUS will cover a wide range of the parameter space of predictions of SUSY for neutralinos as cold dark matter. Further it has the potential to be a real-time detector for low-energy (pp and 7 Be) solar neutrinos. A GENIUS Test Facility has come into operation on May 5, 2003. This is the first time that this novel technique for extreme background reduction in search for rare decays is applied under the background conditions of an underground laboratory. (author)

We present a study of the sensitivity and discovery potential of CUORE, a bolometric double-betadecay experiment under construction at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. Two approaches to the computation of experimental sensitivity for various background scenarios are presented, and an extension of the sensitivity formulation to the discovery potential case is also discussed. Assuming a background rate of 10-2 cts/(keV kg y), we find that, after 5 years of live time, CUORE has a 1 sigma sensitivity to the neutrinoless double-betadecay half-life of T$0v\\atop{1/2}$(1θ) = 1.6 \\times 1026 y and thus a potential to probe the effective Majorana neutrino mass down to 40-100 meV; the sensitivity at 1.64 sigma, which corresponds to 90% C.L., will be T$0v\\atop{1/2}$(1.64θ) = 9.5 \\times 1025 y. This range is compared with the claim of observation of neutrinoless double-betadecay in 76Ge and the preferred range of the neutrino mass parameter space from oscillation results.

Full Text Available We briefly review the motivation to search for sterile neutrinos in the keV mass scale, as dark matter candidates, and the prospects to find them in betadecay or electron capture spectra, with a global perspective. We describe the fundamentals of the neutrino flavor-mass eigenstate mismatch that opens the possibility of detecting sterile neutrinos in such ordinary nuclear processes. Results are shown and discussed for the effect of heavy neutrino emission in electron capture in Holmium 163 and in two isotopes of Lead, 202 and 205, as well as in the betadecay of Tritium. We study the deexcitation spectrum in the considered cases of electron capture and the charged lepton spectrum in the case of Tritium betadecay. For each of these cases, we define ratios of integrated transition rates over different regions of the spectrum under study and give new results that may guide and facilitate the analysis of possible future measurements, paying particular attention to forbidden transitions in Lead isotopes.

COBRA is an experiment aiming to search for neutrinoless double-beta-decay (0νββ-decay) using CdZnTe semiconductor detectors. The main focus is on {sup 116}Cd, with a Q-value of 2813.5 keV well above the highest dominant naturally occurring gamma lines. By measuring the half-life of the 0νββ-decay, it is possible to clarify the nature of the neutrino as either Dirac or Majorana particle and furthermore to determine its effective Majorana mass. The COBRA collaboration operates a demonstrator to search for these decays at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The exposure of 234.7 kg d considered in this analysis was collected between September 2011 and February 2015. The analysis focuses on the decay of the nuclides {sup 114}Cd, {sup 128}Te, {sup 70}Zn, {sup 130}Te and {sup 116}Cd. A Bayesian analysis is performed to estimate the signal strength of 0νββ-decay.

The betadecay of 306 polarized lambdas was observed. The lambdas, which had a mean polarization of 70 percent, were produced by a 1.06 GeV/c π minus beam incident on a CH 2 target. The lambda decay particle trajectories were measured with a solenoidal magnetic spectrometer utilizing spark chambers with magnetostrictive readout. The betadecays were differentiated from other decay modes with an isobutane threshold Cherenkov counter. Using only information which depended upon the polarization, g 1 /f 1 was found to be 0.44- 0 . 13 +0 . 20 . Using only information independent of the polarization, g 1 /f 1 was found to be 0.62- 0 . 13 +0 . 17 . Combining all information yielded a value for g 1 /f 1 of 0.56- 0 . 11 +0 . 13 . Although these results taken by themselves are consistent with the Cabbibo theory prediction of 0.69, when combined with previous experiments there is a possibly significant discrepancy in the polarization dependent results. (U.S.)

Full Text Available The extended self-consistent beta-decay model has been applied for bet-decay rates and delayed neutron emission probabilities of spherical neutron-rich isotopes near the r-process paths. Unlike a popular global FRDM+RPA model, in our fully microscopic approach, the Gamow-Teller and first-forbidden decays are treated on the same footing. The model has been augmented by blocking of the odd particle in order to account for important ground-state spin-parity inversion effect which has been shown to exist in the region of the most neutron-rich doubly-magic nucleus 78Ni. Finally, a newly developed form of density functional DF3a has been employed which gives a better spin-orbit splitting due to the modified tensor components of the density functional.

A system for control and data acquisition of neutron scattering experiments (diffractometer, diffractometer with multidetector, triple axis spectrometer and time of flight spectrometer) is described. The experiment electronics of the different experiments is extensively standardized. Each experiment is equipped with its own PDP-11 computer and so fully autonomous. The HMI Carine System I is dedicated to a special experiment but the overall design allows an easy adaption to any experiment of similar environment. Besides an interactive dialog between user and experiment system during a measurement session, the system permits preassembling required commands in a command file which can be executed as one program without further user control. The local computer systems are connected to the HMI computer network. (orig.) [de

A formalism developed earlier for the effect on nuclear betadecay of an intense plane-wave electromagnetic field is applied to three examples of forbidden beta transitions. The examples represent cases where the nuclear ''fragment'' contains one, two, and three nucleons; where the nuclear fragment is defined to be that smallest sub-unit of the nucleus containing the nucleon which undergoes betadecay plus any other nucleons directly angular-momentum coupled to it in initial or final states. The single-nucleon-fragment example is 113 Cd, which has a fourth-forbidden transition. The two-nucleon-fragment example is 90 Sr, which is first-forbidden. The three-nucleon-fragment example is 87 Rb, which is third-forbidden. An algebraic closed-form transition probability is found in each case. At low external-field intensity, the transition probability is proportional to z/sup L/, where z is the field intensity parameter and L is the degree of forbiddenness. At intermediate intensities, the transition probability behaves as z/sup L/-(1/2). At higher intensities, the transition probability contains the z/sup L/-(1/2) factor, a declining exponential factor, and an alternating polynomial in z. This high-intensity transition probability possesses a maximum value, which is found for each of the examples. A general rule, z = q 2 (2L-1), where q is the number of particles in the fragment, is found for giving an upper limit on the intensity at which the maximum transition probability occurs. Field-induced betadecay half-lives for all the examples are dramatically reduced from natural half-lives when evaluated at the optimum field intensity. Relative half-life reduction is greater the higher the degree of forbiddenness

Using 9.4 g of {sup 96}Zr isotope and 1221 days of data from the NEMO-3 detector corresponding to 0.031 kg y, the obtained 2{nu}{beta}{beta} decay half-life measurement is T{sub 1/2}{sup 2{nu}=}[2.35{+-}0.14(stat){+-}0.16(syst)]x10{sup 19} yr. Different characteristics of the final state electrons have been studied, such as the energy sum, individual electron energy, and angular distribution. The 2{nu} nuclear matrix element is extracted using the measured 2{nu}{beta}{beta} half-life and is M{sup 2{nu}=}0.049{+-}0.002. Constraints on 0{nu}{beta}{beta} decay have also been set.

In this work, the excited levels of {sup 193}Ir populated by the beta{sup -} decay of {sup 193}Os (T{sub 1/2} {approx} 30h) were investigated. For that purpose, {approx} 5 mg samples of 99%-enriched {sup 192}Os were irradiated under a thermal neutron flux of {approx} 10{sup 12} s{sup -1} and then analysed both using single gamma spectroscopy and a 4-detector multi parametric acquisition facility, which provided data for both a gamma gamma coincidence analysis and a directional angular correlation gamma gamma ({theta} ) study. From these data, 28 transitions were added to this decay scheme, 11 of which were previously known from nuclear reactions and 17 observed for the first time. Eight excited levels were also added to the decay scheme, 3 of which were known from nuclear reaction studies - the remaining 5 are suggested for the first time. Moreover, it was possible to confirm suspicions found in reference that the levels at 848.93 keV and 849.093 keV are indeed the same; it was also possible to confirm the existence of an excited level at 806.9 keV, which had been inferred, but not experimentally confirmed in betadecay studies to date. The angular correlation analysis allowed for the definition of the spin of the excited level at 874 keV as 5/2{sup +;} moreover, the results showed a 79% probability that the spin of the 1078 keV level is 5/2/'-, and also restricted the spin possibilities for the new excited level at 960 keV to two values (1/2 or 3/2). It was also possible to measure the multipolarity mixing ratio ({delta}{sub Ln+1}/L{sub n}) for 43 transitions - 19 of them for the first time and most of the others with a better precision than previously known. Finally, an attempt was made to understand the low-lying levels structure for this nucleus using a theoretical model, which reproduced the ground state and the two lowest-lying excited levels in {sup 193}Ir. (author)

We intend to investigate structure of nuclei populated in the $\\beta$-decay of Mn isotopes via the ATD $\\beta\\gamma\\gamma$(t) technique. With this method we will measure dynamic moments in Fe isotopes and their daughters in order to characterize the role of particle-hole excitation across the ${N}$=40 sub-shell closure and the development of collectivity.

A large scale ultra low background β-γ spectrometer ELEGANTS-V for studying double betadecays(ββ) of /sup 100/Mo and/or /sup 150/Nd is designed and is now under construction. It consists of drift chambers for identification of tracks and vertex of two β-rays, thin NaI(T1) or plastic scintillators for β-rays energy and NaI(T1) counters for γ- and cosmic-rays. Specifications of the spectrometer; energy resolution, detection efficiency, possible background counting rate and available ββ sources, have been evaluated. The spectrometer has extremely high sensitivities of the neutrinoless ββ decays (0νββ), two neutrino ββ decays (2νββ) and neutrinoless ββ decays followed one boson (Majoron). It may detect 0νββ decays with half lives up to T/sub 1/2/ = 1.2- 1.7 . 10/sup 23/ year. This limit corresponds to one part of million for the Majoran neutrino mass in units of the electron mass and for the right-handed weak current in units of the left handed one

The GERDA experiment searches for the neutrinoless double betadecay in Ge-76, by operating bare HPGe detectors in ultra-pure liquid Ar. This dissertation presents a first decomposition of the background measured in the current data-taking phase. The background at the energy of interest was found to be dominated by {sup 214}Bi, {sup 208}Tl and {sup 42}K gamma-rays, with secondary contributions from {sup 42}K and {sup 214}Bi beta-rays, and {sup 210}Po alpha-rays. For the forthcoming upgrade of the apparatus, a new HPGe detector design (BEGe) has been studied, with focus on its capability of suppressing the identified backgrounds through pulse shape analysis. This included the development of a comprehensive modeling of the detectors and the experimental characterization of their response to surface interactions. The achieved results show that GERDA can improve the present limit on the neutrinoless double betadecay half-life by an order of magnitude.

Precision measurement of the beta -decay half-life, Q-value, and branching ratio between nuclear analog states of Jpi = 0+ and T=1 can provide critical and fundamental tests of the Standard Model's description of electroweak interactions. A program has been initiated at TRIUMF-ISAC to measure the ft values of these superallowed beta transitions. Two Tz = 0, A > 60 cases, 74Rb and 62Ga, are presented. These are particularly relevant because they can provide critical tests of the calculated nuclear structure and isospin-symmetry breaking corrections that are predicted to be larger for heavier nuclei, and because they demonstrate the advance in the experimental precision on ft at TRIUMF-ISAC from 0.26% for 74Rb in 2002 to 0.05% for 62Ga in 2006. The high precision world data on experimental ft and corrected Ft values are discussed and shown to be consistent with CVC at the 10-4 level, yielding an average Ft = 3073.70(74) s. This Ft leads to Vud = 0.9737(4) for the up-down element of the Standard Model's CKM matrix. With this value and the Particle Data Group's 2006 values for Vus and Vub, the unitarity condition for the CKM matrix is met. Additional measurements and calculations are needed, however, to reduce the uncertainties in that evaluation. That objective is the focus of the continuing program on superallowed-betadecay at TRIUMF-ISAC.

The measurement of the internal 222Rn activity in the NEXT-White detector during the so-called Run-II period with 136Xe-depleted xenon is discussed in detail, together with its implications for double betadecay searches in NEXT. The activity is measured through the alpha production rate induced in the fiducial volume by 222Rn and its alpha-emitting progeny. The specific activity is measured to be $(37.5\\pm 2.3~\\mathrm{(stat.)}\\pm 5.9~\\mathrm{(syst.)})$~mBq/m$^3$. Radon-induced electrons have also been characterized from the decay of the 214Bi daughter ions plating out on the cathode of the time projection chamber. From our studies, we conclude that radon-induced backgrounds are sufficiently low to enable a successful NEXT-100 physics program, as the projected rate contribution should not exceed 0.2~counts/yr in the neutrinoless double betadecay sample.

The question whether the neutrino could be its own antiparticle is still not answered. The most practical way to test this is the search for the neutrinoless double betadecay. The half-life of this decay is related to the value of a linear combination of the masses of the neutrino mass eigenstates and therefore provides information about the absolute mass scale of neutrinos. The nEXO experiment - the successor of EXO200 - is currently under research and development. The baseline concept comprises a single-phase liquid xenon (LXe) time projection chamber (TPC) filled with about 5 tons of liquid xenon enriched to about 80% Xe-136 as the double betadecay nuclide. In order to fully cover the range of the effective Majorana neutrino mass in the inverted hierarchy scheme, excellent energy resolution is required. Therefore, a position-resolving, low-noise charge readout and very efficient light collection and detection are mandatory. For the purpose of very low background levels radiopure Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have to be used to detect the scintillation light of LXe. Due to the large half-life a huge detector mass and long term measurement are needed. In this talk the baseline-concept of the experimental setup is presented.

The NEMO3 detector was designed for the study of double betadecay and in particular to search for the neutrinoless double betadecay process (0{nu}{beta}{beta}). The intended sensitivity in terms of a half-life limit for the 0{nu}{beta}{beta} decay is of the order of 10{sup 25} y which corresponds to an effective neutrino mass m{sub {nu}} on the level of (0.3 - 0.1) eV. The 0{nu}{beta}{beta} process is today the most promising test of the Majorana nature of the neutrino. The detector was constructed in the Modane Underground Laboratory (LSM) in France by an international collaboration including France, Russia, the Czech Republic, the USA, the UK, Finland, and Japan. The experiment has been taking data since May 2002. The quantity of {sup 100}Mo in the detector (7 kg) allows an efficient measurement of the two-neutrino double betadecay (2{nu}{beta}{beta}) of {sup 100}Mo to the excited 0{sub 1}{sup +} state (eeN{gamma} channel). Monte-Carlo simulations of the effect and of all the relative sources of background have been produced in order to define a set of appropriate selection criteria. Both Monte-Carlo simulations and special runs with sources of {sup 208}Tl and {sup 214}Bi showed that the only significant background in the eeN{gamma} channel comes from radon that penetrated inside the wire chamber of NEMO3. The experimental data acquired from May 2002 to May 2003 have been analysed in order to determine the signal from the 2{nu}{beta}{beta} decay of {sup 100}Mo to the excited 0{sub 1}{sup +} state and the corresponding background level. The physical result, which was obtained at the level of four standard deviations, is given in the form of an interval of half-life values at 95% confidence level: [5.84*10{sup 20}, 2.26*10{sup 21}] y for method A and [5.83*10{sup 20}, 1.71*10{sup 21}] y for method B. (author)

From a variety of $\\beta$-transitions only those with decay energies of a few keV and smaller are considered suitable for a determination of the neutrino mass on a sub-eV level. The decay energy of a transition can be very small, if, e.g., in an allowed $\\beta$-decay or electron-capture transition, a nuclear excited state of the daughter nuclide is populated whose energy is very close to the mass difference of the transition nuclides. Investigation of these transitions can also be useful for the assessment of a validity of the current $\\beta$-decay theory in the region of vanishingly small decay energies. The authors of this proposal have found several such $\\beta$-transitions whose decay energies are expected to be extremely small. In order to assess the suitability of these $\\beta$-transitions for the determination of the neutrino mass, measurements of the mass differences of the transition nuclides must be carried out with a sub-keV uncertainty. Presently, only high-precision Penning-trap mass spectrometry...

The beta(+)/EC decay of (180)Tl and excited states in the daughter nucleus (180)Hg have been investigated at the CERN On-Line Isotope Mass Separator (ISOLDE) facility. Many new low-lying energy levels were observed in (180)Hg, of which the most significant are the 0(2)(+) at 419.6 keV and the 2(2)(+) at 601.3 keV. The former is the bandhead of an excited band in (180)Hg assumed originally to be of prolate nature. From the beta feeding to the different states in (180)Hg, the ground-state spin of (180)Tl was deduced to be (4(-),5(-)).

Nuclear double betadecay provides an extraordinarily broad potential to search for beyond standard model physics, probing already now the TeV scale, on which new physics should manifest itself. These possibilities are reviewed here. First, the results of present generation experiments are presented. The most sensitive one of them - the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment in the Gran Sasso - probes the electron mass now in the sub eV region and will reach a limit of {proportional_to}0.1 eV in a few years. Basing to a large extent on the theoretical work of the Heidelberg double beta group in the last two years, results are obtained also for SUSY models (R-parity breaking, sneutrino mass), leptoquarks (leptoquark-Higgs coupling), compositeness, right-handed W boson mass and others. These results are comfortably competitive to corresponding results from high-energy accelerators like TEVATRON, HERA, etc. Second, future perspectives of {beta}{beta} research are discussed. A new Heidelberg experimental proposal (GENIUS) is presented which would allow to increase the sensitivity for Majorana neutrino masses from the present level of at best 0.1 eV down to 0.01 or even 0.001 eV. Its physical potential would be a breakthrough into the multi-TeV range for many beyond standard models. Its sensitivity for neutrino oscillation parameters would be larger than of all present terrestrial neutrino oscillation experiments and of those planned for the future. (orig.)

The Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment is searching for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76Ge, a lepton number violating nuclear process predicted by extensions of the Standard Model. GERDA is an array of bare germanium diodes immersed in liquid argon located at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy. The results of the GERDA Phase I data taking with a total exposure of 21.6 kg yr and a background index of 0.01 cts/(keV kg yr) are presented in this paper. No signal was observed and a lower limit of T1/20ν > 2.1×1025 yr (90% C.L.) was derived for the half-life of the 0νββ decay of 76Ge. Phase II of the experiment aims to reduce the background around the region of interest by a factor of ten.

In the aided-reversal mode RFP discharges produced in ETA BETA II, the plasma current is characterized by a linear decay phase, which follows an approximately exponential phase. During the same period the measured toroidal voltage is negative and initially increasing in absolute value (exponential phase) and then decreasing to almost zero during the linear phase before the current termination. The same behavior of the current has been observed in the quiescent phase in Zeta where a negative toroidal electric field was also observed. In this note we present a model that can explain the linear decay phase and fits with the experimental parameters and allows us to estimate the plasma resistance behavior during the linear phase of slow reversed field pinch discharges

We suggest here the use of ice as shielding material in the large scale GENIUS experiment for the ultimate sensitive double betadecay and dark matter search. The idea is to pack a working volume of several tons of liquid nitrogen, which contains the ''naked'' Ge detectors, inside an ice shielding. Very thin plastic foil would be used in order to prevent leakage of the liquid nitrogen. Due to the excellent advantages of ice shielding (high purity and low cost, self-supporting ability, thermo-isolation and optical properties, safety) this could be another possible way of realization of the GENIUS project. (orig.)

The Gerda experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy uses germanium detectors made from material with an enriched 76Ge isotope fraction to search for neutrinoless double betadecay of this nucleus. Applying a blind analysis we find no signal after an exposure of 21.6 kg·yr and a background of about 0.01 cts/(keV·kg·yr). A half-life limit of Tov1/2> 2.1 · 1025 yr (90% C.L.) is extracted. The previous claim of a signal for 76Ge is excluded with 99% probability in a model independent way.

The estimated efficiency of several detection systems dedicated to the search of the neutrinoless double betadecay of 76 Ge is reported. In order to perform this work, we have developed the GEOM macro library system which can handle highly complex geometries in simulation problems, allowing to include an accurate description of the experimental setup in a very simple way. Also an internal mechanism for checking the correct location of every boundary defining the geometrical regions is included. The present version of GEOM is implemented in the EGS4 code of Monte Carlo simulation of photons and electron/positron showers, but it can be easily extended to other simulation codes. (orig.)

A time projection chamber with 8.3 grams of enriched 100 MoO 3 as the central electrode has been operating approximately five months in an underground laboratory. A preliminary analysis of the two-electron sum energy spectrum, the spectrum of those same electrons taken singly, and the opening angle distribution yields a half life of 1.16 -0.08 +0.34 x10 19 y at the 68% confidence level for two-neutrino double betadecay of 100 Mo. (author)

Full Text Available The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE is an upcoming experiment designed to search for the neutrinoless double-betadecays. Observation of the process would unambiguously establish that neutrinos are Majorana particles and provide information on their absolute mass scale hierarchy. CUORE is now under construction and will consist of an array of 988 TeO2 crystal bolometers operated at 10 mK, but the first tower (CUORE-0 is already taking data. The experimental techniques used will be presented as well as the preliminary CUORE-0 results. The current status of the full-mass experiment and its expected sensitivity will then be discussed.

The Majorana experiment is a proposed HPGe detector array that will primarily search for neutrinoless double-betadecay and dark matter. It will rely on pulse-shape discrimination and crystal segmentation to suppress backgrounds following careful materials selection. A critical aspect of the design phase of Majorana is a reliable simulation of the detector response, pulse formation, and its radioactive backgrounds. We are developing an adaptable and complete simulation based on GEANT 4 to address these requirements and the requirements of a modern, large collaboration experiment. The salient aspects of the simulation are presented. The Majorana experiment is presented in a parallel poster by Kareem Kazkaz

CUORE is a ∼ I-ton experiment to search for Neutrinoless Double BetaDecay of 130 Te using 988 TeO 2 bolometers. It aims at reaching a sensitivity of the order of few tens of MeV on the effective neutrino mass. CUORICINO, a single CUORE tower running since 2003 in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS), plays an important role as a standing alone experiment and for developing the future CUORE setup. Present results already achieved and studies that are underway are presented and discussed

The authors review systematically several important mechanisms which affect magnetic moments, magnetic dipole transitions and allowed beta-decays. They are first order configuration mixing, second order configuration mixing, the Sachs moment and other exchange magnetic moments, the contribution of the Sachs moment and other exchange magnetic moments with first order configuration mixing. It is shown that first order configuration mixing and the Sachs moment are important for heavy nuclei, and that all the effects except first order mixing are important for light nuclei. (Auth.)

A novel method of deducing the deformation of the N=Z nucleus $^{76}$Sr is presented. It is based on the comparison of the experimental Gamow-Teller strength distribution B(GT) from its $\\beta$-decay with the results of QRPA calculations. This method confirms previous indications of the strong prolate deformation of this nucleus in a totally independent and novel way. The measurement has been carried out with a large Total Absorption Gamma Spectrometer, "Lucrecia", newly installed at CERN-ISOLDE.

Measurements of the beta-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei (Mg-Ar) in the vicinity of the N=28 shell closure are reported. Some 22 half-lives have been determined, 12 of which for the first time. Particular emphasis is placed on the results for the Si isotopes, the half-lives of which have been extended from N=25 to 28. Comparison with QRPA calculations suggests that {sup 42}Si is strongly deformed. This is discussed in the light of a possible weakening of the spin-orbit potential.

The angular correlation of the electrons emitted in the neutrinoless double betadecay (0{nu}2{beta}) is presented using a general Lorentz invariant effective Lagrangian for the leptonic and hadronic charged weak currents. We show that the coefficient K in the angular correlation d{gamma}/dcos {theta} {proportional_to}(1-K cos {theta}) is essentially independent of the nuclear matrix element models and present its numerical values for the five nuclei of interest ({sup 76}Ge, {sup 82}Se, {sup 100}Mo, {sup 130}Te, and {sup 136}Xe), assuming that the 0{nu}2{beta}-decays in these nuclei are induced solely by a light Majorana neutrino, {nu}{sub M}. This coefficient varies between K=0.82 (for the {sup 76}Ge nucleus) and K=0.88 (for the {sup 82}Se and {sup 100}Mo nuclei), calculated taking into account the effects from the nucleon recoil, the S and P-waves for the outgoing electrons and the electron mass. Deviation of K from its values derived here would indicate the presence of New Physics (NP) in addition to a light Majorana neutrino, and we work out the angular coefficients in several {nu}{sub M}+NP scenarios for the {sup 76}Ge nucleus. As an illustration of the correlations among the 0{nu}2{beta} observables (half-life T{sub 1/2}, the coefficient K, and the effective Majorana neutrino mass vertical stroke left angle m right angle vertical stroke) and the parameters of the underlying NP model, we analyze the left-right symmetric models, taking into account current phenomenological bounds on the right-handed W{sub R}-boson mass and the left-right mixing parameter {zeta}. (orig.)

In modern elementary particle physics several questions arise from the fact that neutrino oscillation experiments have found neutrinos to be massive. Among them is the so far unknown nature of neutrinos: either they act as so-called Majorana particles, where one cannot distinguish between particle and antiparticle, or they are Dirac particles like all the other fermions in the Standard Model. The study of neutrinoless double beta-decay (0νββ-decay), where the lepton number conservation is violated by two units, could answer the question regarding the underlying nature of neutrinos and might also shed light on the mechanism responsible for the mass generation. So far there is no experimental evidence for the existence of 0νββ-decay, hence, existing experiments have to be improved and novel techniques should be explored. One of the next-generation experiments dedicated to the search for this ultra-rare decay is the COBRA experiment. This article gives an overview of techniques to identify and reject background based on pulse-shape discrimination.

The presently most wanted information on neutrino properties concerns their mass values and their transformation properties under charge conjugation. The recent oscillation experiments prove that at least one of the three neutrino species has a non-vanishing rest mass and that the lepton flavour is not conserved. These findings have to be supplemented by data from phenomena of different kind in order to deduce the information needed. The most promising method proposed thus far to determine Majorana neutrino mass and thus to answer the two leading questions is to observe the neutrino-less double betadecay and to measure its rate. The physics of this process is discussed and the on-going and planned experimental search is reviewed. This search concentrates on the 0 + →0 + ground-to-ground state decay of β - β - emitters using calorimetric or β - -β - coincidence tracking techniques. The β + β + or β + EC decays are usually considered as less favourable because of longer half-lives, even though they offer some advantages in combating the background. The recent proposition of measuring the monoenergetic photon spectra accompanying the radiative neutrino-less double electron capture decay is discussed. The experimental advantages of this technique may off-set the generally longer life-times expected. (author)

The Majorana research and development is addressing key issues and risks related to the collaboration's goal of undertaking a search for neutrinoless double-betadecay (0νββ) in 76 Ge using an array of hyper-pure Ge-diodes (HPGe). The observation of this decay would provide critical insight into our understanding of neutrinos, yielding definitive evidence that neutrinos are Majorana particles and providing information on the absolute mass of neutrinos. Achieving sensitivities to 0νββ decay half-lives on the order of 10 26 years requires ultra-low backgrounds in the 2039 keV region where a 0νββ decay peak would be observed. The goal of our R and D program has been to demonstrate the feasibility of all components of Majorana and to provide an integrated evaluation framework, allowing for optimization of these components in terms of background, background suppression, and signal detection efficiency and acceptance. This report covers work carried out by Majorana collaboration members at the University of Washington as part of the overall Majorana collaboration activities. Specifically the Majorana group at the University of Washington was involved in moving forward on demonstrating technology for clean large-scale cryostats and mounting the HPGe crystals in low-mass holders. The UW activities included assistance in the procurement and assembly of an electroforming system for large size cryostats, and design and fabrication of prototype crystal mounting hardware.

The recent results from the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment have demonstrated the large potential of double betadecay to search for new physics beyond the standard model. To increase by a major step the present sensitivity for double betadecay and dark matter search, much bigger source strengths and much lower backgrounds are needed than used in experiments under operation at present or under construction. We describe here a project which would operate one tonne of 'naked' enriched germanium-detectors in liquid nitrogen as shielding in an underground set-up (GENIUS). It improves the sensitivity of neutrino masses to 0.01 eV. A 10 tonne version would probe neutrino masses even down to 10 -3 eV. The first version would allow us to test the atmospheric neutrino problem, the second at least part of the solar neutrino problem. Both versions would allow, in addition, significant contributions to testing several classes of GUT models. These are especially tests of R-parity breaking and conserving supersymmetry models - including sneutrino masses - leptoquark masses and mechanism and right-handed W-boson masses comparable with LHC. The second issue of the experiment is the search for dark matter in the universe. The full MSSM parameter space for the prediction of neutralinos as dark matter particles could be covered already in a first step of the full experiment using only 100 kg of 76 Ge or even of natural Ge making the experiment competitive with LHC in the search for supersymmetry. (author)

The study of neutrinoless double betadecay (DBD) is the most powerful approach to the fundamental question if the neutrino is a Majorana particle, i.e. its own anti-particle. The observation of neutrinoless DBD would not only establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino but also represent a determination of its effective mass if the nuclear matrix element is given. So far, the most sensitive results have been obtained with Ge-76, and the group of Klapdor-Kleingrothaus has made a claim of discovery. Future experiments have to reduce radioactive backgrounds to increase the sensitivity. '' GERDA '' is a new double beta-decay experiment which is currently under construction in the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy. It is implementing a new shielding concept by operating bare Ge diodes - enriched in Ge-76 - in high purity liquid argon supplemented by a water shield. The aim of '' GERDA '' is to verify or refute the recent claim of discovery, and, in a second phase, to achieve a two orders of magnitude lower background index than recent experiments, increasing the sensitive mass and reaching exposure of 100 kg yr. It be will discuss design, physics reach, and status of construction of '' GERDA '', and present results from various R efforts including long term stability of bare Ge diodes in cryogenic liquids, material screening, cryostat performance, detector segmentation, cryogenic precision electronics, safety aspects, and Monte Carlo simulations. (author)

Neutrinoless double betadecay is a lepton-number-violating nuclear transition predicted by several extensions of the Standard Model. The Gerda experiment searches for this transition in {sup 76}Ge by operating bare Ge detectors in liquid Ar. The talk focuses on the results of data acquired during Phase I of the experiment, in which 21.6 kg.yr of exposure were accumulated with a background index of about 0.01 cts/(keV.kg.yr). No signal was observed and a lower limit was derived for the half-life of neutrinoless double betadecay of {sup 76}Ge, T{sub 1/2} > 2.1 . 10{sup 25} yr (90% C.L.). The experiment is currently undergoing a major upgrade in preparation for the next phase of data taking. Thanks to an increased target mass, an improved energy resolution and the introduction of novel background reduction techniques, the sensitivity of Gerda will increase of about one order of magnitude in a few years of operation.

Thermal fission of 239 Pu was used to produce 68,69 Co and 68 Fe isotopes, the lightest ones ever observed in thermal fission, at the ILL high-flux reactor, in Grenoble. Separated with the Lohengrin recoil spectrometer, then identified by means of a Δ E-E ionization chamber, fragments were implanted in a set of Si-detectors, where β-particles were detected too. The fission yields were determined, and the beta-decay half-lives were extracted from delayed coincidence analysis between ion implantation and the subsequent beta detection: They were found to be 0.27±0.05s, 0.18±0.10s, and 0.10±0.06s respectively for 69 Co, 68 Co, and 68 Fe. This method was adapted to a new experimental configuration: 65 Fe isotopes were produced from 86 Kr projectile fragmentation at 500 MeV/u on a Be target. Selected ions were separated with the fragment separator FRS at GSI (Darmstadt), tuned in the monoenergetic mode. Fragments were identified by ΔE-ToF, slowed down, and then implanted in two rows of PIN-diodes that provided an additional range selection. The half-life were determined from the analysis of the decay chain Fe-Co-Ni: it was found 0.4±0.2s. Production rates obtained with the two methods are compared at the end of this work

The nature of neutrino mass is one of the frontier problems of particle physics. Neutrinoless Double BetaDecay (0{nu}DBD) is a powerful tool to measure the neutrino mass and to test possible extensions of the Standard Model. Bolometers are excellent detectors to search for this rare decay, thanks to their good energy resolution and to the low background conditions in which they can operate. The current challenge consists in the reduction of the background, represented by environmental {gamma}'s and {alpha}'s, in view of a zero background experiment. We present the LUCIFER R and D, funded by an European grant, in which the background can be reduced by an order of magnitude with respect to the present generation experiments. The technique is based on the simultaneous bolometric measurement of the heat and of the scintillation light produced by a particle, that allows to discriminate between {beta} and {alpha} particles. The {gamma} background is reduced by choosing 0{nu}DBD candidate isotopes with transition energy above the environmental {gamma}'s spectrum. The prospect of this R and D are discussed.

The Majorana collaboration is searching for neutrinoless double betadecay using 76Ge, which has been shown to have a number of advantages in terms of sensitivities and backgrounds. The observation of neutrinoless double-betadecay would show that lepton number is violated and that neutrinos are Majorana particles and would simultaneously provide information on neutrino mass. Attaining sensitivities for neutrino masses in the inverted hierarchy region, 15 - 50 meV, will require large, tonne-scale detectors with extremely low backgrounds, at the level of ˜1 count/t-y or lower in the region of the signal. The Majorana collaboration, with funding support from DOE Office of Nuclear Physics and NSF Particle Astrophysics, is constructing the Demonstrator, an array consisting of 40 kg of p-type point-contact high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors, of which ˜30 kg will be enriched to 87% in 76Ge. The Demonstrator is being constructed in a clean room laboratory facility at the 4850' level (4300 m.w.e.) of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. It utilizes a compact graded shield approach with the inner portion consisting of ultra-clean Cu that is being electroformed and machined underground. The primary aim of the Demonstrator is to show the feasibility of a future tonne-scale measurement in terms of backgrounds and scalability.

Double betadecay of {sup 100}Mo to the excited states of daughter nuclei has been studied using a 600 cm{sup 3} low-background HPGe detector and an external source consisting of 2588 g of 97.5% enriched metallic {sup 100}Mo, which was formerly inside the NEMO-3 detector and used for the NEMO-3 measurements of {sup 100}Mo. The half-life for the two-neutrino double betadecay of {sup 100}Mo to the excited 0{sub 1}{sup +} state in {sup 100}Ru is measured to be T{sub 1/2}=[7.5±0.6(stat)±0.6(syst)]⋅10{sup 20} yr. For other (0ν+2ν) transitions to the 2{sub 1}{sup +}, 2{sub 2}{sup +}, 0{sub 2}{sup +}, 2{sub 3}{sup +} and 0{sub 3}{sup +} levels in {sup 100}Ru, limits are obtained at the level of ∼(0.25–1.1)⋅10{sup 22} yr.

The SuperNEMO experiment is a new generation of experiments dedicated to the search for neutrinoless double beta-decay, which if observed, would confirm the existence of physics beyond the Standard Model. It is based on the tracking and calorimetry techniques, which allow the reconstruction of the final state topology, including timing and kinematics of the double beta-decay transition events, offering a powerful tool for background rejection. While the basic detection strategy of the SuperNEMO detector remains the same as of the NEMO-3 detector, a number of improvements were accomplished for each of detector main components. Upgrades of the detector technologies and development of low-level counting techniques ensure radiopurity control of construction parts of the SuperNEMO detector. A reference material made of glass pellets has been developed to assure quality management and quality control of radiopurity measurements. The first module of the SuperNEMO detector (Demonstrator) is currently under construction in the Modane underground laboratory. No background event is expected in the neutrinoless double beta-decay region in 2.5 years of its operation using 7 kg of {sup 82}Se. The half-life sensitivity of the Demonstrator is expected to be >6.5·10{sup 24} y, corresponding to an effective Majorana neutrino mass sensitivity of |0.2−0.4| eV (90% C.L.). The full SuperNEMO experiment comprising of 20 modules with 100 kg of {sup 82}Se source should reach an effective Majorana neutrino mass sensitivity of |0.04−0.1| eV, and a half-life limit 1·10{sup 26} y. - Highlights: • SuperNEMO detector for 2β0ν-decay of {sup 82}Se should reach half-life limit of 10{sup 26} y. • Radiopurity of the SuperNEMO internal detector parts was checked down to 0.1 mBq/kg. • Reference material of glass pellets was developed for underground γ-spectrometry.

Nuclear double betadecay provides an extraordinarily broad potential to search for beyond Standard Model physics, probing already now the TeV scale, on which new physics should manifest itself. These possibilities are reviewed here. First, the results of present generation experiments are presented. The most sensitive one of them - the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment in the Gran Sasso, using enriched 76 Ge - probes the electron neutrino mass now in the sub eV region and will reach a limit of ∼ 0.1 eV in a few years. Basing to a large extent on the theoretical work of the Heidelberg Double Beta Group in the last two years, results are obtained also for SUSY models (R-parity breaking, sneutrino mass), leptoquarks (leptoquark-Higgs coupling), compositeness, right-handed W boson mass and others. These results are comfortably competitive to corresponding results from high-energy accelerators like TEVATRON, HERA, etc. Second, future perspectives of ββ research are discussed. A new Heidelberg experimental proposal (GENIUS) is presented which would allow to increase the sensitivity for Majorana neutrino masses from the present level of at best 0.1 eV down to 0.01 or even 0.001 eV. Its physical potential would be a breakthrough into the multi-TeV range for many beyond standard models. Its sensitivity for neutrino oscillation parameters would be larger than of all present terrestrial neutrino oscillation experiments and of those planned for the future. It would further, already in a first step, cover almost the full MSSM parameter space for prediction of neutralinos as cold dark matter, making the experiment competitive to LHC in the search for supersymmetry

% IS353 \\\\ \\\\ Due to its importance in fundamental physics and astrophysics, a great effort both theoretically and experimentally is devoted to study Gamow Teller (GT)-strength. The GT-strength and its distribution play a key role in late stellar evolution. During the pre-supernova core-collapse of massive stars, the electron capture and nuclear $\\beta$ -decay determine the electron-to-baryon ratio, which influences the infall dynamics and the mass of the final core. The cross-section of the charge-exchange reaction at forward angles with energies above 100~MeV is expected to be proportional to the squares of Fermi and GT matrix elements. This proportionality should provide a Q-value free method to probe the weak interaction strength and renormalization effects in nuclei. Thus charge-exchange reactions are often used to determine the experimental GT-strength. However, the connection between the GT-strength and the cross-section of the charge-exchange reaction is partially model-dependent and the question aris...

In this work is reported a methodology a methodology for pure beta and electron capture radionuclides standardization, suing liquid scintillation technique. In this sense the CIEMAT/NIST method, recently utilized by international laboratories, was implemented and the lack in the Laboratorio Nacional das Radiacoes Ionizantes - LNMRI, of the Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear - CNEN, for adequate methodology to standardize this kind if radionuclides was filled, fact that was not present with alpha and gamma radionuclides. The implementation procedure evaluation was provided by concentration activity determination of the following radionuclides: 14 C and 90 Sr, pure beta emitters; 55 Fe, electron capture decay; 204 Tl, electron capture and betadecay and 60 Co, beta-gamma emitter. In this way, a careful analysis of the implementation procedure with these radionuclides types, ranging on a broad energy spectral, was possible. To check the calibration results, intercomparisons among our measurements of these radionuclides and the reference values of the CIEMAT/Spain laboratory were provided. To check the calibration results, intercomparisons among our measurements of these radionuclides and the reference values of the CIEMAT/Spain laboratory were provided. Besides this intercomparisons, one was provided with a 204 Tl solution, utilized in the international comparison recently promoted by BIPM, and another one with a 60 C solution calibrated in LNMRI/CNEN previously by a relative calibration system, with a well type pressurized ionization chamber, and an absolute beta-gamma coincidence system, with a pill-box type proportional counter 4 π geometry, coupled with a scintillator system with a sodium iodide cristal of 4x4 inches. The comparisons among LNMRI/CNEN results and the reference values, showed a small deviation of 1,32% for 14 C, 0,40% for 60 Co, 1,12% for 55 Fe, 0,10% for 90 Sr and 0,73% for 204 Tl. For the BIPM solution the deviation was 0,46% and for 60 Co

Neutrinoless double betadecay (0vββ) is considered the best potential resource to access the absolute neutrino mass scale. Moreover, if observed, it will signal that neutrinos are their own anti-particles (Majorana particles). Presently, this physics case is one of the most important research “beyond Standard Model” and might guide the way towards a Grand Unified Theory of fundamental interactions. Since the 0vββ decay process involves nuclei, its analysis necessarily implies nuclear structure issues. In the NURE project, supported by a Starting Grant of the European Research Council (ERC), nuclear reactions of double charge-exchange (DCE) are used as a tool to extract information on the 0vββ Nuclear Matrix Elements. In DCE reactions and ββ decay indeed the initial and final nuclear states are the same and the transition operators have similar structure. Thus the measurement of the DCE absolute cross-sections can give crucial information on ββ matrix elements. In a wider view, the NUMEN international collaboration plans a major upgrade of the INFN-LNS facilities in the next years in order to increase the experimental production of nuclei of at least two orders of magnitude, thus making feasible a systematic study of all the cases of interest as candidates for 0vββ.

Full Text Available Neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ decay is a hypothesized lepton-number-violating process that offers the only known means of asserting the possible Majorana nature of neutrino mass. The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE is an upcoming experiment designed to search for 0νββ decay of 130Te using an array of 988 TeO2 crystal bolometers operated at 10 mK. The detector will contain 206 kg of 130Te and have an average energy resolution of 5 keV; the projected 0νββ decay half-life sensitivity after five years of livetime is 1.6 × 1026 y at 1σ (9.5 × 1025 y at the 90% confidence level, which corresponds to an upper limit on the effective Majorana mass in the range 40–100 meV (50–130 meV. In this paper, we review the experimental techniques used in CUORE as well as its current status and anticipated physics reach.

Almost half of heavy nuclei beyond iron are considered to be produced by rapid neutron capture process (r-process). This process occurs in the neutron-rich environment such as core-collapse supernovae or neutron star mergers, but the main production site is still unknown. In the r-process of neutron star mergers, nuclear fission reactions play an important role. Also beta-decay half-lives of magic nuclei are crucial for the r-process. We have carried out r-process nucleosynthesis calculations based upon new theoretical estimates of fission fragment distributions and new beta-decay half-lives for N=82 nuclei measured at RIBF-RIKEN. We investigate the effect of nuclear fission on abundance patterns in the matter ejected from neutron star mergers with two different fission fragment mass distributions. We also discuss how the new experimental beta-decay half-lives affect the r-process

The search for the neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) process is primarily motivated by its potential of revealing the possible Majorana nature of the neutrino, in which the neutrino is identical to its antiparticle. It has also the potential to yield information on the intrinsic properties of neutrinos, if the underlying mechanism is the exchange of a light Majorana neutrino. The Gerda experiment is searching for 0νββ decay of {sup 76}Ge by operating high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors enriched in the isotope {sup 76}Ge (∝ 87%), directly in ultra-pure liquid argon (LAr). The first phase of physics data taking (Phase I) was completed in 2013 and has yielded 21.6 kg.yr of data. A background index of B∼10{sup -2} cts/(keV.kg.yr) at Q{sub ββ}=2039 keV has been achieved. A comprehensive background model of the Phase I energy spectrum is presented as the major topic of this dissertation. Decomposition of the background energy spectrum into the individual contributions from different processes provides many interesting physics results. The specific activity of {sup 39}Ar has been determined. The obtained result, A=(1.15±0.11) Bq/kg, is in good agreement with the values reported in literature. The contribution from {sup 42}K decays in LAr to the background spectrum has yielded a {sup 42}K({sup 42}Ar) specific activity of A=(106.2{sub -19.2}{sup +12.7}) μBq/kg, for which only upper limits exist in literature. The analysis of high energy events induced by α decays in the {sup 226}Ra chain indicated a total {sup 226}Ra activity of (3.0±0.9) μBq and a total initial {sup 210}Po activity of (0.18±0.01) mBq on the p{sup +} surfaces of the enriched semi-coaxial HPGe detectors. The half life of the two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decay of {sup 76}Ge has been determined as T{sub 1/2}{sup 2ν}=(1.926±0.094).10{sup 21} yr, which is in good agreement with the result that was obtained with lower exposure and has been published by the Gerda collaboration

The search for the neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) process is primarily motivated by its potential of revealing the possible Majorana nature of the neutrino, in which the neutrino is identical to its antiparticle. It has also the potential to yield information on the intrinsic properties of neutrinos, if the underlying mechanism is the exchange of a light Majorana neutrino. The Gerda experiment is searching for 0νββ decay of 76 Ge by operating high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors enriched in the isotope 76 Ge (∝ 87%), directly in ultra-pure liquid argon (LAr). The first phase of physics data taking (Phase I) was completed in 2013 and has yielded 21.6 kg.yr of data. A background index of B∼10 -2 cts/(keV.kg.yr) at Q ββ =2039 keV has been achieved. A comprehensive background model of the Phase I energy spectrum is presented as the major topic of this dissertation. Decomposition of the background energy spectrum into the individual contributions from different processes provides many interesting physics results. The specific activity of 39 Ar has been determined. The obtained result, A=(1.15±0.11) Bq/kg, is in good agreement with the values reported in literature. The contribution from 42 K decays in LAr to the background spectrum has yielded a 42 K( 42 Ar) specific activity of A=(106.2 -19.2 +12.7 ) μBq/kg, for which only upper limits exist in literature. The analysis of high energy events induced by α decays in the 226 Ra chain indicated a total 226 Ra activity of (3.0±0.9) μBq and a total initial 210 Po activity of (0.18±0.01) mBq on the p + surfaces of the enriched semi-coaxial HPGe detectors. The half life of the two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decay of 76 Ge has been determined as T 1/2 2ν =(1.926±0.094).10 21 yr, which is in good agreement with the result that was obtained with lower exposure and has been published by the Gerda collaboration. According to the model, the background in Q ββ ±5 keV window is resulting from close

The betadecay of $^{192,190}$Pb has been studied using the total absorption technique at the ISOLDE(CERN) facility. The beta-decay strength deduced from the measurements, combined with QRPA theoretical calculations, allow us to infer that the ground states of the $^{192,190}$Pb isotopes are spherical. These results represent the first application of the shape determination method using the total absorption technique for heavy nuclei and in a region where there is considerable interest in nuclear shapes and shape effects.

A new method to tag the barium daughter in the double-betadecay of Xe 136 is reported. Using the technique of single molecule fluorescent imaging (SMFI), individual barium dication (Ba++ ) resolution at a transparent scanning surface is demonstrated. A single-step photobleach confirms the single ion interpretation. Individual ions are localized with superresolution (˜2 nm ), and detected with a statistical significance of 12.9 σ over backgrounds. This lays the foundation for a new and potentially background-free neutrinoless double-betadecay technology, based on SMFI coupled to high pressure xenon gas time projection chambers.

A new method to tag the barium daughter in the double betadecay of $^{136}$Xe is reported. Using the technique of single molecule fluorescent imaging (SMFI), individual barium dication (Ba$^{++}$) resolution at a transparent scanning surface has been demonstrated. A single-step photo-bleach confirms the single ion interpretation. Individual ions are localized with super-resolution ($\\sim$2~nm), and detected with a statistical significance of 12.9~$\\sigma$ over backgrounds. This lays the foundation for a new and potentially background-free neutrinoless double betadecay technology, based on SMFI coupled to high pressure xenon gas time projection chambers.

Betadecay energy calibration for detectors is typically established using conversion sources. However, the calibration points from conversion sources are not evenly distributed over the beta energy spectrum and the foil backing of the conversion sources produces perturbations in the calibration spectrum. To improve this, an external, tunable electron beam coupled by a magnetic field can be used to calibrate the detector. The 1 MeV electron accelerator in development at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) utilizes a pelletron charging system. The electron gun shoots 104 electrons per second with an energy range of 50 keV to 1 MeV and is pulsed at a 10 kHz rate with a few ns width. The magnetic field in the spectrometer is 1 T and guiding fields of 0.01 to 0.05 T for the electron gun are used to produce a range of pitch angles. This accelerator can be used to calibrate detectors evenly over its energy range and determine the detector response over a range of pitch angles. Betadecay energy calibration for detectors is typically established using conversion sources. However, the calibration points from conversion sources are not evenly distributed over the beta energy spectrum and the foil backing of the conversion sources produces perturbations in the calibration spectrum. To improve this, an external, tunable electron beam coupled by a magnetic field can be used to calibrate the detector. The 1 MeV electron accelerator in development at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) utilizes a pelletron charging system. The electron gun shoots 104 electrons per second with an energy range of 50 keV to 1 MeV and is pulsed at a 10 kHz rate with a few ns width. The magnetic field in the spectrometer is 1 T and guiding fields of 0.01 to 0.05 T for the electron gun are used to produce a range of pitch angles. This accelerator can be used to calibrate detectors evenly over its energy range and determine the detector response over a range of pitch angles

Conventional Supervisory control and data Acquisition (SCADA) systems use PC, notebook, thin client, and PDA as a Client. Nowadays the Process Industries are following multi shift system that's why multi- client of different category have to work at a single human Machine Interface (HMI). They may hack the HMI Display and change setting of the other client. This paper introduces a Hacker tracking security (HTS) System for HMI. This is developed by using the conventional and Biometric authentication. HTS system is developed by using Numeric passwords, Smart card, biometric, blood flow and Finger temperature. This work is also able to identify the hackers.

The {beta}-decay half-lives of short-lived nuclei produced by 14 MeV neutron bombardments were measured with Ge detectors, a High-rate spectroscopy amplifier (EG and G ORTEC model 973) and a Spectrum multi-scaler (Laboratory equipment corporation SMS-48) in the multi-scaling mode. The adequate corrections for pile-up and dead-time losses were made by applying source and pulser methods. The half-lives of {sup 53}V, {sup 53g}Fe, {sup 89m}Y and {sup 162}Tb were determined with uncertainties of 0.13-0.65%. It has been shown that previous values shorter than 10 min were systematically longer than the present ones. (author)

Double betadecay is indispensable to solve the question of the neutrino mass matrix together with ν oscillation experiments. The most sensitive experiment - since eight years the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment in Gran-Sasso - already now, with the experimental limit of ν > < 0.26 eV practically excludes degenerate ν mass scenarios allowing neutrinos as hot dark matter in the universe for the smallangle MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem. It probes cosmological models including hot dark matter already now on the level of future satellite experiments MAP and PLANCK. It further probes many topics of beyond SM physics at the TeV scale. Future experiments should give access to the multi-TeV range and complement on many ways the search for new physics at future colliders like LHC and NLC. For neutrino physics some of them (GENIUS) will allow to test almost all neutrino mass scenarios allowed by the present neutrino oscillation experiments

The aim of the COBRA experiment is the search for neutrinoless double betadecay events in Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe) room temperature semiconductor detectors. The development of pixelated detectors provides the potential for clear event identification and thus major background reduction. The tracking option of a semiconductor is a unique approach in this field. For initial studies, several possible detector systems are considered with a special regard for low background applications: the large volume system Polaris with a pixelated CdZnTe sensor, Timepix detectors with Si and enriched CdTe sensor material and a CdZnTe pixel system developed at the Washington University in St. Louis, USA. For all detector systems first experimental background measurements taken at underground laboratories (Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory in Italy, LNGS and the Niederniveau Messlabor Felsenkeller in Dresden, Germany) and additionally for the Timepix detectors simulation results are presented.

CUORE is a 741 kg array of TeO2 bolometers for the search of neutrinoless double betadecay of 130Te. The detector is being constructed at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy, where it will start taking data in 2015. If the target background of 0.01 counts / (keV ṡkg ṡy) will be reached, in five years of data taking CUORE will have a 1σ half life sensitivity of 1026 y. CUORE-0 is a smaller experiment constructed to test and demonstrate the performances expected for CUORE. The detector is a single tower of 52 CUORE-like bolometers that started taking data in spring 2013. The status and perspectives of CUORE will be discussed, and the first CUORE-0 data will be presented.

Observation of neutrinoless double betadecay could answer the question regarding the Majorana or Dirac nature of neutrinos. The GERDA experiment utilizes HPGe detectors enriched with the isotope 76Ge to search for this process. Recently the GERDA collaboration has unblinded data of Phase I of the experiment. In order to further improve the sensitivity of the experiment, additionally to the coaxial detectors used, 30 BEGe detectors made from germanium enriched in 76Ge will be deployed in GERDA Phase II. BEGe detectors have superior PSD capability, thus the background can be further reduced. The liquid argon surrounding the detector array will be instrumented in order to reject background by detecting scintillation light induced in the liquid argon by radiation. After a short introduction the hardware preparations for GERDA Phase II as well as the processing and characterization of the 30 BEGe detectors are discussed.

To improve the search for neutrinoless double betadecay, the next-generation experiments will increase in source mass and continue to reduce backgrounds in the region of interest. A promising technology for the next generation experiment is large arrays of Germanium p-type point contact detectors enriched in 76-Ge. The experience, expertise and lessons learned from the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR and GERDA experiments naturally lead to a number of research and development activities that will be useful in guiding a future experiment utilizing Germanium. We will discuss some R&D activities including a hybrid cryostat design, background reduction in cabling, connectors and electronics, and modifications to reduce assembly time. We acknowledge the support of the U.S. Department of Energy through the LANL/LDRD Program.

The most proton-rich nuclei known to date have isospin projections $ T _{Z} $ ~=~-3/2, -2 and -5/2. \\\\ \\\\ We propose to carry out a study of their superallowed betadecays, a phenomenon that can only be studied in this region of the nuclear chart. The main aim is to determine the ``effective charge'' in nuclei of the axial vector coupling, the quantity $ ( g'_{A} / g _{A} ) ^{2} $ , which in a recent first experiment on a ~~ $ T _{Z} $~~=~-2 nucleus was determined to be 0.49~$\\pm$~0.05. \\\\ \\\\ Because of the problems connected with the production and acceleration of radioactive ions, our proposal aims at selected elements: neon, argon and rubidium (production runs), magnesium (test and production runs) and calcium (test). Data have so far been taken for $^1

LUCIFER (Low-background Underground Cryogenic Installation For Elusive Rates) is a new project for the study of neutrinoless Double BetaDecay, based on the technology of scintillating bolometers. These devices promise a very efficient rejection of the alpha background, opening the way to a virtual background-free experiment if candidates with a transition energy higher than 2615 keV are investigated. The baseline candidate for LUCIFER is {sup 82}Se. This isotope will be embedded in ZnSe crystals grown with enriched selenium and operated as scintillating bolometers in a low-radioactivity underground dilution refrigerator. In this paper, the LUCIFER concept will be introduced. The sensitivity and the very promising prospects related to this project will be discussed.

Neutrinoless double-betadecay is calculated via doubly charged Higgs, which occur naturally in left-right symmetric models. We find that the comparison with known half-lives yields values of phenomenological parameters which are compatible with earlier analyses of neutral current data. In particular, we obtain a right-handed gauge-boson mass lower bound of the order of 240 GeV. Using this result and expressions for neutrino masses derived in a parity non-conserving left-right symmetric model, we obtain msub(νsub(e)) < 1.5 eV, msub(νsub(μ)) < 0.05 MeV and msub(νsub(tau)) < 18 MeV

We present data characterizing the performance of the first segmented, N-type Ge detector, isotopically enriched to 85% 76Ge. This detector, based on the Ortec PT6×2 design and referred to as SEGA (Segmented, Enriched Germanium Assembly), was developed as a possible prototype for neutrinoless double beta-decay measurements by the MAJORANA collaboration. We present some of the general characteristics (including bias potential, efficiency, leakage current, and integral cross-talk) for this detector in its temporary cryostat. We also present an analysis of the resolution of the detector, and demonstrate that for all but two segments there is at least one channel that reaches the MAJORANA resolution goal below 4 keV FWHM at 2039 keV, and all channels are below 4.5 keV FWHM.

Neutrino nuclear responses are crucial for neutrino studies in nuclei. Charge exchange reactions (CER) are shown to be used to study charged current neutrino nuclear responses associated with double betadecays(DBD)and astro neutrino interactions. CERs to be used are high energy-resolution (He3 ,t) reactions at RCNP, photonuclear reactions via IAR at NewSUBARU and muon capture reactions at MUSIC RCNP and MLF J-PARC. The Gamow Teller (GT) strengths studied by CERs reproduce the observed 2 neutrino DBD matrix elements. The GT and spin dipole (SD) matrix elements are found to be reduced much due to the nucleon spin isospin correlations and the non-nucleonic (delta isobar) nuclear medium effects. Impacts of the reductions on the DBD matrix elements and astro neutrino interactions are discussed.

To determine the direction to a source of neutrinos (and antineutrinos) is an important problem for the physics of supernovae and of the Earth. The direction to a source of antineutrinos can be estimated through the reaction of inverse betadecay. We show that the reactor neutrino experiment Double Chooz has unique capabilities to study antineutrino signal from point-like sources. Contemporary experimental data on antineutrino directionality is given. A rigorous mathematical approach for neutrino direction studies has been developed. Exact expressions for the precision of the simple mean estimator of neutrinos' direction for normal and exponential distributions for a finite sample and for the limiting case of many events have been obtained.

The ''Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon Time-Projection Chamber'' (NEXT) is intended to investigate the neutrinoless double betadecay of 136 Xe, which requires a severe suppression of potential backgrounds. An extensive screening and material selection process is underway for NEXT since the control of the radiopurity levels of the materials to be used in the experimental set-up is a must for rare event searches. First measurements based on Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry and gamma-ray spectroscopy using ultra-low background germanium detectors at the Laboratorio Subterr and apos;aneo de Canfranc (Spain) are described here. Activity results for natural radioactive chains and other common radionuclides are summarized, being the values obtained for some materials like copper and stainless steel very competitive. The implications of these results for the NEXT experiment are also discussed.

The goal of the Majorana Experiment is to determine the effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino. Detection of the neutrino mass implied by oscillation results in within our grasp. This exciting physics goal is best pursued using double-betadecay of germanium because of the historical and emerging advances in eliminating competing signals from radioactive backgrounds. The Majorana Experiment will consist of a large mass of 76Ge in the form of high-resolution detectors deep underground, searching for a sharp peak at the BB endpoint. We present here an overview of the entire project in order to help put in perspective the scope, the level and technical risk, and the readiness of the Collaboration to begin the undertaking

The fully consistent relativistic proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (PN-RQRPA) is employed in the calculation of {beta}-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei in the N{approx}50 and N{approx}82 regions. A new density-dependent effective interaction, with an enhanced value of the nucleon effective mass, is used in relativistic Hartree-Bogolyubov calculation of nuclear ground states and in the particle-hole channel of the PN-RQRPA. The finite range Gogny D1S interaction is employed in the T=1 pairing channel, and the model also includes a proton-neutron particle-particle interaction. The theoretical half-lives reproduce the experimental data for the Fe, Zn, Cd, and Te isotopic chains, but overestimate the lifetimes of Ni isotopes and predict a stable {sup 132}Sn. (orig.)

The $\\beta$- decay of $^{135}$Sn was studied at CERN/ISOLDE using a resonance ionization laser ion source and mass separator to achieve elemental and mass selectivity, respectively. $\\gamma$-ray singles and $\\gamma\\gamma$ coincidence spectra were collected as a function of time with the laser on and with the laser off. These data were used to establish the positions of new levels in $^{135}$Sb, including new low-spin states at 440 and 798 keV, which are given tentative spin and parity assignments of 3/2$^{+}$ and 9/2$^{+}$, respectively. The observed levels of $^{135}$Sb are compared with shell-model calculations using different single-particle energies and different interactions.

Graphical comparisons of recently obtained experimental beta-ray spectra with predicted beta-ray spectra based on the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File are exhibited for 77 fission products having masses 79--99 and 130--146 and lifetimes between 0.17 and 23650 sec. The comparisons range from very poor to excellent. For betadecay of 47 nuclides, estimates are made of ground-state transition intensities. For 14 cases the value in ENSDF gives results in very good agreement with the experimental data. 12 refs., 77 figs., 1 tab

The radionuclide 125Sb is a long-lived fission product, which decays to 125Te by negative beta emission with a half-life of 1008 day. The betadecay is followed by the emission of several gamma radiations, ranging from low to medium energy, that can suitably be used for high-resolution detector calibrations, decay heat calculations and in many other applications. In this work, the betadecay of 125Sb has been studied in detail. The complete published experimental data of relative gamma ray intensities in the betadecay of the radionuclide 125Sb has been compiled. The consistency analysis was performed and discrepancies found at several gamma ray energies. Evaluation of the discrepant data was carried out using Normalized Residual and RAJEVAL methods. The decay scheme balance was carried out using beta branching ratios, internal conversion coefficients, populating and depopulating gamma transitions to 125Te levels. The work has resulted in the consistent conversion factor equal to 29.59(13) %, and determined a new evaluated set of the absolute gamma ray emission probabilities. The work has also shown 22.99% of the delayed intensity fraction as outgoing from the 58 d isomeric 144 keV energy level and 77.01% of the prompt intensity fraction reaching to the ground state from the other excited states. The results are discussed and compared with previous evaluations. The present work includes additional experimental data sets which were not included in the previous evaluations. A new set of recommended relative and absolute gamma ray emission probabilities is presented.

The radionuclide 125 Sb is a long-lived fission product, which decays to 125 Te by negative beta emission with a half-life of 1008 day. The betadecay is followed by the emission of several gamma radiations, ranging from low to medium energy, that can suitably be used for high-resolution detector calibrations, decay heat calculations and in many other applications. In this work, the betadecay of 125 Sb has been studied in detail. The complete published experimental data of relative gamma ray intensities in the betadecay of the radionuclide 125 Sb has been compiled. The consistency analysis was performed and discrepancies found at several gamma ray energies. Evaluation of the discrepant data was carried out using Normalized Residual and RAJEVAL methods. The decay scheme balance was carried out using beta branching ratios, internal conversion coefficients, populating and depopulating gamma transitions to 125 Te levels. The work has resulted in the consistent conversion factor equal to 29.59(13) %, and determined a new evaluated set of the absolute gamma ray emission probabilities. The work has also shown 22.99% of the delayed intensity fraction as outgoing from the 58 d isomeric 144 keV energy level and 77.01% of the prompt intensity fraction reaching to the ground state from the other excited states. The results are discussed and compared with previous evaluations. The present work includes additional experimental data sets which were not included in the previous evaluations. A new set of recommended relative and absolute gamma ray emission probabilities is presented.

The article describes the main achievements of the NUMEN project together with an updated and detailed overview of the related R&D activities and theoretical developments. NUMEN proposes an innovative technique to access the nuclear matrix elements entering the expression of the lifetime of the double betadecay by cross section measurements of heavy-ion induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions. Despite the fact that the two processes, namely neutrinoless double betadecay and DCE reactions, are triggered by the weak and strong interaction respectively, important analogies are suggested. The basic point is the coincidence of the initial and final state many-body wave functions in the two types of processes and the formal similarity of the transition operators. First experimental results obtained at the INFN-LNS laboratory for the 40Ca(18O,18Ne)40Ar reaction at 270MeV give an encouraging indication on the capability of the proposed technique to access relevant quantitative information. The main experimental tools for this project are the K800 Superconducting Cyclotron and MAGNEX spectrometer. The former is used for the acceleration of the required high resolution and low emittance heavy-ion beams and the latter is the large acceptance magnetic spectrometer for the detection of the ejectiles. The use of the high-order trajectory reconstruction technique, implemented in MAGNEX, allows to reach the experimental resolution and sensitivity required for the accurate measurement of the DCE cross sections at forward angles. However, the tiny values of such cross sections and the resolution requirements demand beam intensities much larger than those manageable with the present facility. The on-going upgrade of the INFN-LNS facilities in this perspective is part of the NUMEN project and will be discussed in the article.

We propose to use the new ISOLDE decay station and the neutron detector VANDLE to measure the $\\beta$-delayed neutron emission of N=82-84 $^{130-132}$Cd isotopes. The large delayed neutron emission probability observed in a previous ISOLDE measurement is indicative of the Gamow-Teller transitions due to the decay of deep core neutrons. Core Gamow-Teller decay has been experimentally proven in the $^{78}$Ni region for the N>50 nuclei using the VANDLE array. The spectroscopic measurement of delayed neutron emission along the cadmium isotopic chain will allow us to track the evolution of the single particle states and the shell gap.

In 1985 Simpson reported evidence for the emission of a 17 keV mass neutrino in a small fraction of tritium betadecays. An experimental controversy ensued in which a number of both positive and negative results were reported. The beta spectrum of 14 C was collected in a unique 14 C-doped planar germanium detector and a distortion was observed that initially confirmed Simpson's result. Further tests linked this distortion to a splitting of the collected charge between the central detector and the surrounding guard ring in a fraction of the events. A second 14 C measurement showed no evidence for emission of a 17 keV mass neutrino. In a related experiment, a high statistics electron-capture internal-bremsstrahlung photon spectrum of 55 Fe was collected with a coaxial germanium detector. A local search for departures from a smooth shape near the endpoint was performed, using a second-derivative technique. An upper limit of 0.65% (95% C.L.) for the mixing Of a neutrino in the mass range 5--25 keV was established. The upper limit on the mixing of a 17 keV mass neutrino was 0.14% (95% C.L.)

The aim of the programme is to measure the electron-neutrino mass, for which at present an upper limit of 500~eV is known. \\\\ \\\\ The experiment studies the shape of the internal bremsstrahlung spectrum in electron-capture near its upper end-point and deduces a mass from small shape changes completely analogous to those in the well-known determination of the electron antineutrino mass in the tritium beta-minus decay. \\\\ \\\\ In a low-energy bremsstrahlung process, the capture takes place from a virtual S state associated with a radiative P~@A~S electromagnetic transition, and the resonant nature of the process leads to important enhancements of the photon intensities at low energy, in particular near the resonance energies co (X-rays). This effect gives this type of experiment a chance to compete with experiments on continuous beta spectra. \\\\ \\\\ The programme concentrates on two long-lived isotopes: \\\\ \\\\ 1)~~|1|6|3Ho. The Q value for this isotope has been found to be 2.6-2.7 keV. A detector specially construct...

Full Text Available As proposed in the LUCIFER project, ZnSe crystals are attractive materials to realize scintillating bolometers aiming at the search for neutrinoless double betadecay of the promising isotope 82Se. However, the optimization of the ZnSe-based detectors is rather complex and requires a wide-range investigation of the crystal features: optical properties, crystalline quality, scintillation yields and bolometric behaviour. Samples tested up to now show problems in the reproducibility of crucial aspects of the detector performance. In this work, we present the results obtained with a scintillating bolometer operated aboveground at about 25 mK. The detector energy absorber was a single 1 cm3 ZnSe crystal. The good energy resolution of the heat channel (about 14 keV at 1460 keV and the excellent alpha/beta discrimination capability are very encouraging for a successful realization of the LUCIFER program. The bolometric measurements were completed by optical tests on the crystal (optical transmission and luminescence measurements down to 10 K and investigation of the crystalline structure. The work here described provides a set of parameters and procedures useful for a complete pre-characterization of ZnSe crystals in view of the realization of highly performing scintillating bolometers.

With this proposal we request beam time for the first two phases of a project that aims at measuring the $\\beta$-asymmetry parameter of the mirror $\\beta$-decay branch in $^{35}$Ar using an optically polarized Ar atom beam. The final goal of the experiment is to measure this parameter to a precision of 0.5%. This will allow the most precise determination of the V$_{ud}$ quark mixing matrix element from all the mirror transitions with an absolute uncertainty of 0.0007. The proposal will be presented in phases and we ask here 11 shifts (7 on-line + 4 off-line) for phase 1 and 15 shifts (6 on-line and 9 off-line) for phase 2. Phase 1 aims at establishing the optimal laser polarization scheme as well as the best implantation host for maintaining the polarization. Phase 2 aims at enhancing the beam polarization by removing the unpolarized part of the beam using re-ionization.

A helium-jet system and the 24 Mg( 3 He,p4n) 22 Al and 28 Si( 3 He,p4n) 26 P reactions have been used to discover the only known odd-odd, T/sub Z/ = -2 nuclides, 22 Al(t/sub 1/2/ approx. 70ms) and 26 P(t/sub 1/2/ approx. 20 ms). Observations of beta-delayed protons from each isotope (laboratory energies 7.839 +- 0.015 MeV and 8.149 +- 0.021 MeV for 22 Al and 7.269 +- 0.015 MeV and 6.827 +- 0.050 MeV for 26 P) established the existence of these nuclides and provided a measurement of the mass excesses of the lowest T = 2 states in their betadecay daughters, 22 Mg and 26 Si (13.650 +- 0.015 MeV and 5.936 +- 0.015 MeV, respectively). Measurement of these masses confirmed that these T = 2 states were unbound to two-proton emission as had been predicted theoretically

Nuclear double betadecay provides an extraordinarily broad potential to search for beyond standard model physics, probing already now the TeV scale, on which new physics should manifest itself. These possibilities are reviewed here. First, the results of present generation experiments are presented. The most sensitive one of them - the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment in the Gran Sasso - probes the electron mass now in the sub eV region and will reach a limit of ∝0.1 eV in a few years. Basing to a large extent on the theoretical work of the Heidelberg double beta group in the last two years, results are obtained also for SUSY models (R-parity breaking, sneutrino mass), leptoquarks (leptoquark-Higgs coupling), compositeness, right-handed W boson mass and others. These results are comfortably competitive to corresponding results from high-energy accelerators like TEVATRON, HERA, etc. Second, future perspectives of ββ research are discussed. A new Heidelberg experimental proposal (GENIUS) is presented which would allow to increase the sensitivity for Majorana neutrino masses from the present level of at best 0.1 eV down to 0.01 or even 0.001 eV. Its physical potential would be a breakthrough into the multi-TeV range for many beyond standard models. Its sensitivity for neutrino oscillation parameters would be larger than of all present terrestrial neutrino oscillation experiments and of those planned for the future. (orig.)

Neutrinoless double-betadecay with emission of one or two majorons (0 νββχ( χ)) is predicted by several beyond-Standard-Model theories. This article reviews the results of a search for 0 νββχ( χ) of 76Ge using data from the Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment, located underground at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy. The analysis comprised data with an exposure of 20.3 kg·yr from the first phase of the experiment. No indication of contributions to the observed energy spectra was detected for any of the majoron models. The lower limit on the half-life for the ordinary majoron model (spectral index n = 1 was determined to be T {1/2/0 νβ } > 4.2 · 1023 yr (90% quantile). This limit and the limits derived for the other majoron modes constitute the most stringent limits on 0 νββχ( χ) decay of 76Ge measured to date.

The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA, is designed to search for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay of 76Ge and it is installed in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of INFN, Italy. In this review, the detection principle and detector setup of GERDA are described. Also, the main physics results by GERDA Phase I, are discussed. They include the measurement of the half-life of 2νββ decay, the background decomposition of the energy spectrum and the techniques for the discrimination of the background, based on the pulse shape of the signal. In the last part of this review, the estimation of a limit on the half-life of 0νββ (T0ν 1/2>2.1ḑot 1025 yr at 90% C.L.) and the comparison with previous results are discussed. GERDA data from Phase I strongly disfavor the recent claim of 0νββ discovery, based on data from the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment.

The following report describes my scientific activities performed during the Summer Student Programme at ISOLDE. The main part of my project was focused on commissioning the neutron detector dedicated to nuclear decay studies at ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS). I have participated in all the steps needed to make it operational for the IS609 experiment. In the testing phase, we obtained expected detector response and calibrations confirmed its successful commissioning. The detector was mounted in the desired geometry at IDS and used in measurements of the beta-delayed neutron emission of $^8$He. After completing aforementioned part of my project, I became familiar with the fast-timing method. This technique was applied at IDS in the IS610 experiment performed in June 2016 to explore the structure of neutron-rich $^{130-134}$Sn nuclei. Since the main part of my PhD studies will be the analysis of data collected in this experiment, the second part of my project was dedicated to acquiring knowledge about technical de...

Claims for a ``cosmogenic'' force that correlates otherwise independent stochastic events have been made for at least 10 years, based largely on visual inspection of time series of histograms whose shapes were interpreted as suggestive of recurrent patterns with semi-diurnal, diurnal, and monthly periods. Building on our earlier work to test randomness of different nuclear decay processes, we have searched for correlations in the time-series of coincident positron-electron annihilations deriving from beta+ decay of Na-22. Disintegrations were counted within a narrow time window over a period of 7 days, leading to a time series of more than 1 million events. Statistical tests were performed on the raw time series, its correlation function, and its Fourier transform to search for cyclic correlations indicative of quantum-mechanical violating deviations from Poisson statistics. The time series was then partitioned into a sequence of 167 ``bags'' each of 8192 events. A histogram was made of the events of each bag, where contiguous frequency classes differed by a single count. The chronological sequence of histograms was then tested for correlations within classes. In all cases the results of the tests were in accord with statistical control, giving no evidence of correlated fluctuations.

Neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) is one of the most sensitive probes for physics beyond the Standard Model, providing unique information on the nature of neutrinos. In this paper we review the status and outlook for bolometric 0νββ decay searches. We summarize recent advances in background suppression demonstrated using bolometers with simultaneous readout of heat and light signals. We simulate several configurations of a future CUORE-like bolometer array which would utilize these improvements and present the sensitivity reach of a hypothetical next-generation bolometric 0νββ experiment. We demonstrate that a bolometric experiment with the isotope mass of about 1 ton is capable of reaching the sensitivity to the effective Majorana neutrino mass (vertical stroke m{sub ee} vertical stroke) of order 10-20 meV, thus completely exploring the so-called inverted neutrino mass hierarchy region. We highlight the main challenges and identify priorities for an R and D program addressing them. (orig.)

NEXT, a double betadecay experiment that will operate in Canfranc Underground Laboratory (Spain), aims at measuring the neutrinoless double-β decay of the 136Xe isotope using a TPC filled with enriched Xenon gas at high pressure operated in electroluminescence mode. One technological challenge of the experiment is to achieve resolution better than 1% in the energy measurement using a plane of UV sensitive photomultipliers readout with appropriate custom-made front-end electronics. The front-end is designed to be sensitive to the single photo-electron to detect the weak primary scintillation light produced in the chamber, and also to be able to cope with the electroluminescence signal (several hundred times higher and with a duration of microseconds). For efficient primary scintillation detection and precise energy measurement of the electroluminescent signals the front-end electronics features low noise and adequate amplification. The signal shaping provided allows the digitization of the signals at a frequency as low as 40 MHz.

In spite of the high precision achieved in the field of neutrino oscillations, there are some fundamental questions that can not be addressed by a study of ths phenomenon. We do not know in fact the absolute mass of neutrino and weather it is a Dirac or a Majorana particle. The LUCIFER experiment, financed by the ERC-AdG, will play an important role in this field. This project aims to push beyond the actual technological limits the possibility of observation of the Neutrinoless Double BetaDecay (0νDBD). The detection of this extremely rare decay would indeed demonstrate that neutrino is a Majorana particle and, at the same time, would allow to set its absolute mass scale. LUCIFER will study the 0νDBD do 82 Se through ZnSe scintillating bolometers. Thanks to the simultaneous red-out of the heat and light produced by an interaction in the crystal, the background rate in the region of interest will be lower than 10 -3 counts/kg/keV/years. In the following, the expected performance of LUCIFER are discussed.

The use of superheated superconducting granules as a particle detector is reviewed. Their application for the detection of dark matter, solar neutrinos, monopoles, and double betadecay is described. A status report on the experimental development of these devices is given. (orig.)

Observations of neutrino flavor oscillations have demonstrated that neutrinos have mass. Since the discovery of these oscillations, much progress has been made at mea- suring the neutrino mass-squared differences and lepton mixing angles that character- ize them. However, the origin and absolute scale of neutrino masses remain unknown. Unique among fermions, neutrinos can be Majorana particles, which could provide an explanation for neutrino masses. Discovery of a hypothetical process known as neutrinoless double betadecay would show that neutrinos are Majorana particles and determine the mass scale for neutrinos. The Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO) is a series of experiments searching for the neutrinoless double betadecay of 136Xe. The first experiment, EXO-200, began operation in 2011 and makes use of 200 kg of xenon enriched to 80.6% in 136Xe. The analysis presented here makes use of data from EXO-200 to obtain a more precise measurement of the half-life for the two-neutrino-emitting mode of double betadecay than previously reported. The analysis also sets limits on the half-lives for exotic, Majoron-emitting modes of neutrinoless double betadecay. Data from EXO-200 is also used to produce a measurement of the cosmic muon flux at the WIPP under- ground site where EXO-200 is located.

Data on the chemical shifts of half-lives for atomic and molecular tritium were used to determine the ratio of axial-vector-to-vector weak coupling constants for betadecay of triton (G sub A /G sub V) sub t = -1.2646 +- 0.0035

The observation of neutrinoless double betadecay (0nubetabeta ) would demonstrate that the neutrino is a Majorana particle and allow determination of its mass by comparing the measured decay rate to the calculated rate. The main uncertainty in the calculation of the 0 nubetabeta rate is due to uncertainties in the nuclear structure models used in the computation of the nuclear matrix elements for the decay process. This project tested the validity of using wavefunctions for the nuclear states involved in the 0nubetabeta process that are based on a first-order application of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of superconductivity. In the BCS approximation, most of the strength for two-nucleon transfer reactions should be for transitions to the 0 + ground state of the final nucleus (i.e., little strength should go to the 0+ excited states). This experiment measured the strength to the first 0+ excited state for the 74Ge( 3He,n)76Se and 76Ge( 3He,n)78Se reactions relative to the strength for transition to the 0+ ground state in selenium. For both nuclei, and at 3He beam energies of 15 and 21 MeV, the observed relative strength for transfer to the first 0+ excited state was less than 13%. This result supports the validity of using the BCS approximation to describe the ground state of both 76Se and 78Se and is consistent with the results of recent ( 3He,n) cross section measurements on 74Ge and 76Ge. In addition, the magnitude and shape of the measured angular distributions suggest that contribution of the sequential two-nucleon transfer process, which is an indicator of long-range nucleon-nucleon correlations, is over-predicted by the DWBA code FRESCO.

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) is a low background experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of INFN designed to search for the rare neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) of 76Ge. In the first phase (Phase I) of the experiment, high purity germanium diodes were operated in a “bare” mode and immersed in liquid argon. The overall background level of 10‑2cts/(keV ṡkg ṡyr) was a factor of ten better than those of its predecessors. No signal was found and a lower limit was set on the half-life for the 0νββ decay of 76Ge T1/20ν > 2.1 × 1025 yr (90% CL), while the corresponding median sensitivity was 2.4 × 1025 yr (90% CL). A second phase (Phase II) started at the end of 2015 after a major upgrade. Thanks to the increased detector mass and performance of the enriched germanium diodes and due to the introduction of liquid argon instrumentation techniques, it was possible to reduce the background down to 10‑3cts/(keV ṡkg ṡyr). After analyzing 23.2 kgṡyr of these new data no signal was seen. Combining these with the data from Phase I a stronger half-life limit of the 76Ge 0νββ decay was obtained: T1/20ν > 8.0 × 1025 yr (90% CL), reaching a sensitivity of 5.8 × 1025 yr (90% CL). Phase II will continue for the collection of an exposure of 100 kg ṡyr. If no signal is found by then the GERDA sensitivity will have reached 1.4 × 1026 yr for setting a 90% CL. limit. After the end of GERDA Phase II, the flagship experiment for the search of 0νββ decay of 76Ge will be LEGEND. LEGEND experiment is foreseen to deploy up to 1-ton of 76Ge. After ten years of data taking, it will reach a sensitivity beyond 1028 yr, and hence fully cover the inverted hierarchy region.

Double betadecay without neutrino emission provides a test of the mass and nature of neutrinos (Majorana or Dirac). Experimental proof would be the observation of a peak at the transition energy in the spectrum of the two emitted electrons. The expected half-life of the process is extremely long (about 10 25 years for 100 Mo). So, being thus, it is very important to get a good knowledge of the origins and contributions of background noise in the region where the signal could occur. The main origins of the background noise in the region where the signal could occur. The main origins of the background noise are found to be e + - e - pairs induced by heavy energy gamma rays. These gamma rays follow the thermal neutron capture by the components of the detector. Another factor in the production of background noise is natural radio-activity. For example, the presence of Radon in the laboratory has been observed to produce deposits of 214 Bi on the sides of the detector. Data taken with the NEMO 2 prototype and an enriched molybdenum source foil indicates that the background limit reached is of the order of 1 event per year in the 3 MeV region. Results of this work have proven the necessity to have a magnetic field in NEMO 3 in order to reject e + - e - pairs. (author)

Using the latest LHCb measurements of time-dependent CP violation in the B-s(0) -> K+K- decay, a U-spin relation between the decay amplitudes of B-s(0) -> K+K- and B-0 -> p(+)p(-) decay processes allows constraints to be placed on the angle gamma of the unitarity triangle and on the B-s(0) mixing

The results from neutrino oscillation experiments indicate that at least two neutrinos have mass. However, the value of the masses and whether neutrinos and anti-neutrinos are identical, i.e., Majorana particles, remain unknown. Neutrinoless double betadecay experiments can help to improve our understanding in both cases and are the only method currently possible to tackle the second question. The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment, which will search for the neutrinoless double betadecay of 76 Ge, is currently under construction in Hall A of the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), Italy. In order to achieve an extremely low background level, segmented germanium detectors are considered to be operated directly in liquid argon which serves simultaneously as cooling and shielding medium. Several test cryostats were built at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik in Muenchen to operate segmented germanium detectors both in vacuum and submerged in cryogenic liquid. The performance and the background discrimination power of segmented germanium detectors were studied in detail. It was proven for the first time that segmented germanium detectors can be operated stably over long periods submerged in a cryogenic liquid. It was confirmed that the segmentation scheme employed does well in the identification of photon induced background and demonstrated for the first time that also neutron interactions can be identified. The C++ Monte Carlo framework, MaGe (Majorana-GERDA), is a joint development of the Majorana and GERDA collaborations. It is based on GEANT4, but tailored especially to simulate the response of ultra-low background detectors to ionizing radiation. The predictions of the simulation were veri ed to be accurate for a wide range of conditions. Some shortcomings were found and corrected. Pulse shape analysis is complementary to segmentation in identifying background events. Its efficiency can only be correctly determined using reliable pulse shape

The results from neutrino oscillation experiments indicate that at least two neutrinos have mass. However, the value of the masses and whether neutrinos and anti-neutrinos are identical, i.e., Majorana particles, remain unknown. Neutrinoless double betadecay experiments can help to improve our understanding in both cases and are the only method currently possible to tackle the second question. The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment, which will search for the neutrinoless double betadecay of {sup 76}Ge, is currently under construction in Hall A of the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), Italy. In order to achieve an extremely low background level, segmented germanium detectors are considered to be operated directly in liquid argon which serves simultaneously as cooling and shielding medium. Several test cryostats were built at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik in Muenchen to operate segmented germanium detectors both in vacuum and submerged in cryogenic liquid. The performance and the background discrimination power of segmented germanium detectors were studied in detail. It was proven for the first time that segmented germanium detectors can be operated stably over long periods submerged in a cryogenic liquid. It was confirmed that the segmentation scheme employed does well in the identification of photon induced background and demonstrated for the first time that also neutron interactions can be identified. The C++ Monte Carlo framework, MaGe (Majorana-GERDA), is a joint development of the Majorana and GERDA collaborations. It is based on GEANT4, but tailored especially to simulate the response of ultra-low background detectors to ionizing radiation. The predictions of the simulation were veri ed to be accurate for a wide range of conditions. Some shortcomings were found and corrected. Pulse shape analysis is complementary to segmentation in identifying background events. Its efficiency can only be correctly determined using reliable pulse

Nuclear double betadecay has an extraordinarily broad potential in searches for physics beyond the Standard Model, probing already now the TeV scale, at which new physics is expected to manifest itself. These possibilities are reviewed here. First, the result of present-generation experiments are discussed. The most sensitive one of these, the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory, probes the electron mass now in the sub-eV region and will reach a limit of some 0.1 eV in a few years. On the basis of a large amount of theoretical work done by the Heidelberg Double Beta Group in the last two years, results are obtained also for SUSY models (R-parity breaking and neutrino mass), for leptoquarks (leptoquark-Higgs boson coupling), for compositeness, for right-handed W-boson mass, and for some other problems. These results are comfortably competitive with corresponding results from high-energy accelerators like Tevatron, HERA, etc. Future prospects for ββ research are discussed. A new Heidelberg experimental proposal (GENIUS) is presented, which would make it possible to increase the sensitivity for the Majorana neutrino masses from the present level of at best 0.1 eV down to 0.01 or even 0.001 eV. Its physical potential would be a breakthrough into the multi-TeV range for many models beyond standard. Its sensitivity for neutrino-oscillation parameters would be higher than that of all present terrestrial neutrino-oscillation experiments and that of those planned for the future. It would further, even at a first step, cover almost the full MSSM parameter space for prediction of neutralinos as cold dark matter, making the experimental competitive with LHC in searches for supersymmetry

Nuclear double betadecay provides an extraordinarily broad potential to search for beyond Standard Model physics, probing already now the TeV scale, on which new physics should manifest itself. These possibilities are reviewed here. First, the results of present generation experiments are presented. The most sensitive one of them - the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment in the Gran Sasso - probes the electron mass now in the sub eV region and will reach a limit of ˜ 0.1 eV in a few years. Basing to a large extent on the theoretical work of the Heidelberg Double Beta Group in the last two years, results are obtained also for SUSY models (R-parity breaking, sneutrino mass), leptoquarks (leptoquark-Higgs coupling), com-positeness, right-handed W boson mass and others. These results are comfortably competitive to corresponding results from high-energy accelerators like TEVA-TRON, HERA, etc. Second, future perspectives of ʲʲ research are discussed. A new Heidelberg experimental proposal (GENIUS) is presented which would allow to increase the sensitivity for Majorana neutrino masses from the present level of at best 0.1 eV down to 0.01 or even 0.001 eV. Its physical potential would be a breakthrough into the multi-TeV range for many beyond standard models. Its sensitivity for neutrino oscillation parameters would be larger than of all present terrestrial neutrino oscillation experiments and of those planned for the future. It would further, already in a first step, cover almost the full MSSM parameter space for prediction of neutralinos as cold dark matter, making the experiment competitive to LHC in the search for supersymmetry.

We analyze neutrinoless double betadecay (0 νββ) within the framework of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. Apart from the dimension-five Weinberg operator, the first contributions appear at dimension seven. We classify the operators and evolve them to the electroweak scale, where we match them to effective dimension-six, -seven, and -nine operators. In the next step, after renormalization group evolution to the QCD scale, we construct the chiral Lagrangian arising from these operators. We develop a power-counting scheme and derive the two-nucleon 0 νββ currents up to leading order in the power counting for each lepton-number-violating operator. We argue that the leading-order contribution to the decay rate depends on a relatively small number of nuclear matrix elements. We test our power counting by comparing nuclear matrix elements obtained by various methods and by different groups. We find that the power counting works well for nuclear matrix elements calculated from a specific method, while, as in the case of light Majorana neutrino exchange, the overall magnitude of the matrix elements can differ by factors of two to three between methods. We calculate the constraints that can be set on dimension-seven lepton-number-violating operators from 0 νββ experiments and study the interplay between dimension-five and -seven operators, discussing how dimension-seven contributions affect the interpretation of 0 νββ in terms of the effective Majorana mass m ββ .

Neutrinoless double betadecay is a phenomenon of fundamental interest in particle physics. The decay rates of double betadecay transitions to the excited states can provide input for Nuclear Transition Matrix Element calculations for the relevant two neutrino double betadecay process. It can be useful as supplementary information for the calculation of Nuclear Transition Matrix Element for the neutrinoless double betadecay process. In the present work, double betadecay of {sup 94}Zr to the 2{sup +}{sub 1} excited state of {sup 94}Mo at 871.1 keV is studied using a low background ∝ 230 cm{sup 3} HPGe detector. No evidence of this decay was found with a 232 g.y exposure of natural zirconium. The lower half-life limit obtained for the double betadecay of {sup 94}Zr to the 2{sup +}{sub 1} excited state of {sup 94}Mo is T{sub 1/2}(0ν + 2ν) > 3.4 x 10{sup 19} y at 90% C.L., an improvement by a factor of ∝ 4 over the existing experimental limit at 90% C.L. The sensitivity is estimated to be T{sub 1/2} (0ν + 2ν) > 2.0 x 10{sup 19} y at 90% C.L. using the Feldman-Cousins method. (orig.)

The basic non-local character of the quantum processes is a continuously discussed and doubted problem of quantum theory. Recent experimental proofs of the Bell inequalities are questioned in the literature, using local theories of hidden variables. Present paper shows a simple and direct proof of non-locality of quantum processes, analyzing the case of the betadecay. The hypothetical energy transfer between shell electrons and beta electron-neutrino system is proved to be superluminal but necessary for the energy balance of the process. This argumentation proves the nonseparability and nonlocality of quantum processes. (D.G.) 8 refs

The evolution of the reactor-antineutrino spectrum and the evolution of the spectrum of positrons from the inverse-beta-decay reaction in the course of reactor operation and after reactor shutdown are considered. The present-day status in determining the initial reactor-antineutrino spectrum on the basis of spectra of beta particles from mixtures of products originating from uranium and plutonium fission is described. A local rise of the experimental spectrum of reactor antineutrinos with respect to the expected spectrum is studied.

The combination of the coefficient a of the antineutrino/electron angular correlation with the beta asymmetry of the neutron provides a sensitive test for scalar and tensor contributions to the electroweak Lagrangian, as well as for right-handed currents. A method is given for measuring a with high sensitivity from the proton recoil spectrum. The method is based on a magnetic spectrometer with electrostatic retardation potentials such as used for searches of the neutrino mass in tritium betadecay. The spectrometer can also be used for similar studies using radioactive nuclei.

GERDA is an experiment designed and built to study double betadecays of 76 Ge. It is currently in operation at the Gran Sasso underground laboratories (LNGS). A custom slow control system has been designed to monitor and control all the critical parameters for the proper functioning of the experiment. The main sub-components of the experiment (Cryostat, Clean Room, Water Tank, electronic crates and temperatures, High Voltage Systems, Radon Monitor and Source Insertion System) are constantly monitored by several distributed clients which write acquired data to a relational database (PostgreSQL). The latter allows to maintain a history of the whole experiment and, performing correlation between different and independent components, is useful to debug possible system malfunctions. The system is complemented by a Web server, a lightweight and efficient interface to the user on shifts and to the on-call experts, and by a dedicated Alarm dispatcher which distributes the errors generated by the components to the users allowing to react in short time. The whole project has been built around open source and custom software.

The Gerda (GERmanium Detector Array) experiment was built to study fundamental neutrino properties via neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ). 0νββ events are single-site events (SSE) confined to a scale about millimeter. However, most of backgrounds are multi-site events (MSE). Broad Energy Germanium detectors (BEGes) offer the potential merits of improved pulse shape recognition efficiencies of SSE/MSE. They allow us to reach the goal of Phase II with a background index of 10{sup -3} cts/(keV.kg.yr) in the ROI. BEGe detectors with a total target mass of 3.63 kg have been installed to the Gerda setup in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in July 2012 and are collecting data since. A consistency check of the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) efficiencies by comparison of calibration data and 2νββ data will be presented. The PSD power of these detectors is demonstrated.

The observation of neutrinoless double-betadecay (0νββ) would show that lepton number is violated, reveal that neu-trinos are Majorana particles, and provide information on neutrino mass. A discovery-capable experiment covering the inverted ordering region, with effective Majorana neutrino masses of 15 - 50 meV, will require a tonne-scale experiment with excellent energy resolution and extremely low backgrounds, at the level of ˜0.1 count /(FWHM.t.yr) in the region of the signal. The current generation 76Ge experiments GERDA and the Majorana Demonstrator, utilizing high purity Germanium detectors with an intrinsic energy resolution of 0.12%, have achieved the lowest backgrounds by over an order of magnitude in the 0νββ signal region of all 0νββ experiments. Building on this success, the LEGEND collaboration has been formed to pursue a tonne-scale 76Ge experiment. The collaboration aims to develop a phased 0νββ experimental program with discovery potential at a half-life approaching or at 1028 years, using existing resources as appropriate to expedite physics results.

The Ph.D. thesis entitled “Shape study of the N=Z waiting-point nucleus 72Kr via beta decay” is devoted to the study of the shape of the ground state of the 72Kr nucleus. It is an N=Z nucleus in the mass region A~70-80 where shape transitions and the shape coexistence phenomena have been identified. Furthermore, this nucleus participates in the rp-process as a waiting point due to the slowdown of the process taking place at the arrival to this nucleus. The study of the properties of this nucleus is interesting from the Nuclear Structure point of view, for the phenomena occurring in its mass region and have been predicted for it, and from the Nuclear Astrophysics for the accurate performance of astrophysical calculations. The β+/EC decay of the 72Kr nucleus has been studied through two complementary experiments at the ISOLDE facility at CERN in Geneva (Switzerland). In one of them, the low-spin structure of the daughter nucleus, 72Br, has been revised via conversion electron spectroscopy where the convers...

A paper given at the IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium last year presented the scientific justification for this experiment and discussed the design of the detector system. At the present time two of the dual detector systems (i.e., four out of a final total of eight detectors) are operating in the complete active/passive shield in the low background laboratory at LBL. Early results (1620 h) of an experiment using two detectors yield a limit of 4 x 10 22 years (68% confidence) for the half life of the neutrinoless double betadecay (ββ/sub o nu/) of 76 Ge. Although this experiment was carried out above ground, the result approaches those achieved by other groups in deep underground laboratories. Based on studies of the origins of background in our system, we hope to reach a limit of 3 x 10 23 years (or more) in a two month/four detector experiment to be carried out soon in an underground facility

Exclusive measurements of neutrino-less double betadecays (0νββ) of 100 Mo were made by means of ELEGANT V. Most stringent lower limits on the half-lives for the ground-state transition were obtained for the 0νββ processes as T 1/2 0ν (m ν ) > 5.2 x 10 22 y, T 1/2 0ν (λ) > 3.9 x 10 22 y and T 1/2 0ν (η) > 5.1 x 10 22 y, for the mass term left angle m ν right angle, for the right-handed current terms of left angle λ right angle and left angle η right angle, respectively, and as T 1/2 0νB > 5.4 x 10 21 y for the process (0νββB) followed by a Majoron (B). These limits lead to the upper limits of left angle m ν right angle -6 , left angle η right angle -8 and left angle g B right angle -5 with g B being the coupling of B with the neutrino field. Limits on other possible processes beyond the standard theory are discussed. (orig.)

The main goal of the LUCIFER experiment is to study the neutrinoless double betadecay, a rare process allowed if neutrinos are Majorana particles. Although aiming at a discovery, in the case of insufficient sensitivity the LUCIFER technique will be the demonstrator for a higher mass experiment able to probe the entire inverted hierarchy region of the neutrino mass. In order to achieve this challenging result, high resolution detectors with active background discrimination capability are required. This very interesting possibility can be largely fulfilled by scintillating bolometers thanks to the simultaneous read-out of heat and light emitted by the interactions in the detector or by pulse shape analysis. - Highlights: • The LUCIFER technique will be the demonstrator for a higher mass experiment. • Scintillating bolometers allow high energy resolution and background discrimination. • The first choice for the LUCIFER tower are ZnSe crystals. • The LUCIFER setup will consist of an array of 30 individual single module detectors. • An array of ZnMoO4 crystals allowed the bolometric observation of the 2vDBD of {sup 100}Mo.

Cosmology is making impressive progress and it is producing stringent bounds on the sum of the neutrino masses Σ, a parameter of great importance for the current laboratory experiments. In this letter, we exploit the potential relevance of the analysis of Palanque-Delabrouille et al. to the neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) search. This analysis indicates small values for the lightest neutrino mass, since the authors find Σ<84 meV at 1σ C.L., and provides a 1σ preference for the normal hierarchy. The allowed values for the Majorana effective mass, probed by 0νββ, turn out to be <75 meV at 3σ C.L. and lower down to less than 20 meV at 1σ C.L. . If this indication is confirmed, the impact on the 0νββ experiments will be tremendous since the possibility of detecting a signal will be out of the reach of the next generation of experiments.

The question of a nonzero neutrino mass has received considerable attention since the claims of Lyubimov et al in 1980 were published which showed evidence for an electron antineutrino mass between 14 and 46 eV, with a best fit value of 35 eV. However, there are still considerable concerns about possible systematic problems in thier experiment. Many of these concerns revolve around the use of a tritiated valine source, in which the energy given up in final state excitations of the molecule following the veta decay of one of the tritium atoms is comparable to the size of the neutrino mass observed. The effect of these final state effects is difficult to calculate in a molecule as complex as valine. In addition, ionization energy loss and backscattering of the betas in traversing the solid source are appreciable and must be very accurately accounted for. These concerns have led us to carry out an experiment using free molecular tritium as the source material. The final state effects have been accurately calculated for the tritium molecule and the uncertainties in these calculations cannot generate a spurious neutrino mass greater than 1 eV. in addition, the energy loss in the source is small because the source consists of tritium only and there is no backscattering

Minimal SO(10) grand unified models provide phenomenological predictions for neutrino mass patterns and mixing. These are the outcome of the interplay of several features, namely: i) the seesaw mechanism; ii) the presence of an intermediate scale where B-L gauge symmetry is broken and the right-handed neutrinos acquire a Majorana mass; iii) a symmetric Dirac neutrino mass matrix whose pattern is close to the up-type quark one. In this framework two natural characteristics emerge. Normal neutrino mass hierarchy is the only allowed, and there is an approximate relation involving both light-neutrino masses and mixing parameters. This differs from what occurring when horizontal flavour symmetries are invoked. In this case, in fact, neutrino mixing or mass relations have been separately obtained in literature. In this paper we discuss an example of such comprehensive mixing-mass relation in a specific realization of SO(10) and, in particular, analyse its impact on the expected neutrinoless double betadecay effective mass parameter 〈m{sub ee}〉, and on the neutrino mass scale. Remarkably a lower limit for the lightest neutrino mass is obtained (m{sub lightest}≳7.5×10{sup −4} eV, at 3 σ level).

The "Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon Time-Projection Chamber" (NEXT) experiment intends to investigate the neutrinoless double betadecay of 136Xe, and therefore requires a severe suppression of potential backgrounds. An extensive material screening and selection process was undertaken to quantify the radioactivity of the materials used in the experiment. Separate energy and tracking readout planes using different sensors allow us to combine the measurement of the topological signature of the event for background discrimination with the energy resolution optimization. The design of radiopure readout planes, in direct contact with the gas detector medium, was especially challenging since the required components typically have activities too large for experiments demanding ultra-low background conditions. After studying the tracking plane, here the radiopurity control of the energy plane is presented, mainly based on gamma-ray spectroscopy using ultra-low background germanium detectors at the Laboratorio Subterr&aposaneo de Canfranc (Spain). All the available units of the selected model of photomultiplier have been screened together with most of the components for the bases, enclosures and windows. According to these results for the activity of the relevant radioisotopes, the selected components of the energy plane would give a contribution to the overall background level in the region of interest of at most 2.4×10-4 counts keV-1 kg-1 y-1, satisfying the sensitivity requirements of the NEXT experiment.

The ”Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC” (NEXT), intended to investigate the neutrinoless double betadecay using a high-pressure xenon gas TPC filled with Xe enriched in {sup 136}Xe at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory in Spain, requires ultra-low background conditions demanding an exhaustive control of material radiopurity and environmental radon levels. An extensive material screening process is underway for several years based mainly on gamma-ray spectroscopy using ultra-low background germanium detectors in Canfranc but also on mass spectrometry techniques like GDMS and ICPMS. Components from shielding, pressure vessel, electroluminescence and high voltage elements and energy and tracking readout planes have been analyzed, helping in the final design of the experiment and in the construction of the background model. The latest measurements carried out will be presented and the implication on NEXT of their results will be discussed. The commissioning of the NEW detector, as a first step towards NEXT, has started in Canfranc; in-situ measurements of airborne radon levels were taken there to optimize the system for radon mitigation and will be shown too.

In experiments looking for rare events, like neutrinoless double betadecay (DBD0ν) and dark matter search (DM), one of the main issues is to increase the experimental sensitivity through the material selection and production. The background contribution coming from the materials used for the detector realization has to be minimized. Moreover the net reduction of the background produced by the bulk part of the apparatus has raised concerns about the background contribution coming from the surfaces. Many procedures and techniques were developed during the last years in order to remove and to minimize the presence of possible contaminants on detector surfaces. To succeed in this strategy a big effort was put in defining all possible mechanisms that lead to surface contaminations, as well as specific cleaning procedures, which are able to reduce and control the surface radioactivity. The presence in air and gases of possible radioactive elements that can stick on the detector surfaces can lead to a recontamination process that will vanish all the applied cleaning procedures. Here is presented and analyzed the contribution to the background of rare events experiments like CUORE experiment (DBD0ν) and EDELWEISS experiment (DM) produced by an exposure of their detector components to a big activity of 222 Rn, radioactive daughter isotope from the 238 U chain. (author)

I. The final-state, atomic effects in the low energy end of the tritium betadecay spectrum are studied in detail. The author treats the instantaneous, two-electron repulsion in the final state, effectively to all orders in perturbation theory, by solving the eigenvalue problem with a discretized and truncated form of the Hamiltonian. He finds that these effects fail to explain the distortion in the spectrum observed by Simpson (Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 649 (1985)). Simpson attributed this distortion to the admixture of a heavy mass antineutrino in the outgoing electron antineutrino state. In fact, the final-state Coulomb effects enhance the distortion. This calculation clears up some of the ambiguities of other theoretical analyses based on considerations of screening functions and perturbation theory. II. He presents a phenomenological study of separate lepton number violating muon to electron conversion in atoms. Previous work on this process has concentrated on elastic transitions where the nucleus characteristics have the gate on the substrate and the source-drain contacts on the top of the sample. The first use as an FET dielectric is reported of hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon (prepared from silane and propane mixture), photo-oxidised by UV lamp or laser. These FETs have similar characteristics to those with silicon nitride gate insulator but without the difficulties of preparing good insulator/semiconductor interfaces. Using the same materials attempts have been made to produce charge coupled devices

Neutrinoless double betadecay (ββ0ν) is the only realistic probe of the Majorana nature of the neutrino. In the standard picture, its rate is proportional to m ee , the e-e element of the Majorana neutrino mass matrix in the flavor basis. I explore minimally allowed m ee values within the framework of mass matrix anarchy where neutrino parameters are defined statistically at low energies. Distributions of mixing angles are well defined by the Haar integration measure, but masses are dependent on arbitrary weighting functions and boundary conditions. I survey the integration measure parameter space and find that for sufficiently convergent weightings, m ee is constrained between (0.01-0.4) eV at 90% confidence. Constraints from neutrino mixing data lower these bounds. Singular integration measures allow for arbitrarily small m ee values with the remaining elements ill-defined, but this condition constrains the flavor structure of the model's ultraviolet completion. ββ0ν bounds below m ee ∼5x10 -3 eV should indicate symmetry in the lepton sector, new light degrees of freedom, or the Dirac nature of the neutrino.

We propose an EASY (Electroluminescent ApparatuS of high Yield) and SOFT (Separated Optimized FuncTion) time-projection chamber for the NEXT experiment, that will search for neutrinoless double betadecay (bb0nu) in Xe-136. Our experiment must be competitive with the new generation of bb0nu searches already in operation or in construction. This requires a detector with very good energy resolution (<1%), very low background con- tamination (1E-4 counts/(keV \\bullet kg \\bullet y)) and large target mass. In addition, it needs to be operational as soon as possible. The design described here optimizes energy resolution thanks to the use of proportional electroluminescent amplification (EL); it is compact, as the Xe gas is under high pressure; and it allows the measurement of the topological signature of the event to further reduce the background contamination. The SOFT design uses different sensors for tracking and calorimetry. We propose the use of SiPMs (MPPCs) coated with a suitable wavelength shifter for th...

Double-betadecay from the ground state of 100 Mo to the O + excited state at 1,130.29 keV in 100 Ru has been observed. A sample of 956q of Mo metal powder isotopically enriched to 98.468% of 100 Mo was counted in a Marinelli geometry with a well shielded, ultralow-background germanium detector. The cascade gamma-rays at 539.53 and 590.76 keV were observed. The resulting decay half-life is 1.1 -0.2 +0.3 x 10 21 y at 68% CL

The first experimental observation of bound-state beta-decay showed, that due solely to the electron stripping, a stable nuclide, e.g. 163 Dy, became unstable. Also a drastic modification of the half-life of bare 187 Re, from 4.12(2) x 10 10 years down to 32.9(20) years, could be observed. It was mainly due to the possibility for the mother nuclide to decay into a previously inaccessible nuclear level of the daughter nuclide. It was proposed to study a nuclide where this decay mode was competing with continuum-state beta-decay, in order to measure their respective branchings. The ratio β b /β c could also be evaluated for the first time. 207 Tl was chosen due to its high atomic number, and Q-value of about 1.4 MeV, small enough to enhance the β b probability and large enough to allow the use of time-resolved Schottky Mass Spectrometry (SMS) to study the evolution of mother and bound-state beta-decay daughter ions. The decay properties of the ground state and isomeric state of 207 Tl 81+ have been investigated at the GSI accelerator facility in two separate experiments. For the first time β-decay where the electron could go either to a bound state (atomic orbitals) and lead to 207 Pb 81+ as a daughter nuclide, or to a continuum state and lead to 207 Pb 82+ , has been observed. The respective branchings of these two processes could be measured as well. The deduced total nuclear half-life of 255(17) s for 207 Tl 81+ , was slightly modified with respect to the half-life of the neutral atom of 286(2) s. It was nevertheless in very good agreement with calculations based on the assumption that the beta-decay was following an allowed type of transition. The branching β b /β c =0.192(20), was also in very good agreement with the same calculations. The application of stochastic precooling allowed to observe in addition the 1348 keV short-lived isomeric state of 207 Tl. The half-life of this isomeric state was measured as 1.47(32) s, which shows a small deviation

The minimal extension of the standard model of electroweak interactions allows for massive neutrinos, a massive right-handed boson WR, and a left-right mixing angle ζ. While an estimate of the light (electron) neutrino can be extracted from the non-observation of the neutrinoless double betadecay, the limits on the mixing angle and the mass of the righthanded (RH) boson may be extracted from a combined analysis of the double betadecay measurements (GERDA, EXO-200 and KamLAND-Zen collaborations) and ATLAS data on the two-jets two-leptons signals following the excitation of a virtual RH boson mediated by a heavy-mass neutrino. In this work we shall compare results of both types of experiments, and show that the estimates are not in tension.

The negative conclusion in the Comment of Becker, Schlicher, and Scully about electromagnetic enhancement of betadecay is shown to be faulty. They have found an algebraic oversight in my paper, but correction of that oversight yields results strongly resembling the original. Becker, Schlicher, and Scully fail to find this. They then conduct an analysis which is highly implicit and incomplete. In attempting to analyze their very complicated expressions they claim not to find significant electromagnetic effects. Yet they also lose completely the electron retardation term of conventional forbidden betadecay. When they attempt to explain the difference between their results and mine, they misconstrue the momentum-translation technique and end up in a logical contradiction. They attempt also to apply a ''no-go'' theorem applicable only to plane-wave particles to my theory, which is built around the use of bound-state nuclear wave functions. This makes the no-go theorem inapplicable

The first-forbidden beta transition in Sb-122 was studied by the angular correlation experiment and the beta-spectra. The special precautions were paid for counting the beta particles having energy lower than 750 keV in the beta-gamma angular correlation measurement. The sources of Sb-122 were obtained by irradiating enriched Sb-121 in the Kyoto University reactor. The reduced beta coefficient R(E) was obtained from the angular correlation function. The beta spectrum measurement was performed with a sector type double focusing beta-ray spectrometer. The R(E) values for the beta transitions were analyzed by using the simplex method as used by Manthuruthil and Poirier to compare the angular correlation data with the exact formula given by Morita and Morita. Sets of the nuclear matrix parameters thus obtained show that the condition for the cancellation effect is satisfied in the beta transition. (Kato, T.)

The AMoRE (Advanced Mo based Rare process Experiment) collaboration is going to use calcium molybdate crystals to search for neutrinoless double betadecay of 100 Mo isotope. In order to make the crystal, we use calcium carbonate and molybdenum oxide powders as raw materials. Therefore it is highly necessary to reduce potential sources for radioactive backgrounds such as U and Th in the powders. In this talk, we will present our studies for purification of calcium carbonate and molybdenum oxide powders

Interest in 60Fe, a long lived radioisotope synthesized in massive stars, has recently peaked. The signature of its decay allows us to probe astrophysical processes, events such as the early formation of the solar system and nucleosynthesis. To understand these observations a complete understanding of the creation, destruction and nuclear properties of 60Fe in the astrophysical environment are required. Using the betadecay of 60Mn in conjunction with total absorption spectroscopy (TAS), made possible by the high efficiency gamma ray calorimeter SuN (Summing NaI detector) at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), to study the distribution of beta-decay intensity over the daughter-nucleus 60Fe, provides information about the structure of the daughter and improves the predictive power of astrophysical models. In addition to the ongoing TAS analysis, The Beta-Oslo method will be used to extract the nuclear level density and gamma-strength function of 60Fe providing much needed constraints on the neutron capture reaction rate responsible for the creation of this nucleus.

In two complementary measurements, a cube like array of 6 Euroball-Cluster germanium detectors and a total-absorption {gamma}-spectrometer were used to investigate the {beta} decay of {sup 97}Ag, a three proton-hole nucleus with respect to the {sup 100}Sn core. The half-life and Q{sub EC} value of the decay of the 9/2{sup +} ground-state of {sup 97}Ag were determined to be 25.9(4) s and 6.98(11) MeV respectively. A total of 603 {gamma} rays (578 new) was observed, and 151 levels (132 new) in {sup 97}Pd have been identified. An interesting {beta}-delayed {gamma} cascade was observed, which comprises 6 {gamma}-transitions with a de-excitation pattern involving an initial increase of the level spin. The Gamow-Teller (GT) {beta}-decay strength distributions from the two measurements reveal a large GT resonance around 4 MeV with a width of about 1.8 MeV. The hindrance factor for the total GT strength summed from the ground-state up to 6 MeV excitation energy in {sup 97}Pd, amounts to 4.3(6) with reference to a shell-model prediction. This factor is discussed in comparison with a core-polarization and a Monte-Carlo shell-model calculation. (orig.)

This thesis describes the design, operation and results of an experimental search for neutrinoless double betadecay (0νββ) of 130 Te using the CUORE-0 detector. The discovery of 0νββ would have profound implications for particle physics and our understanding of the Universe. Its discovery would demonstrate the violation of lepton number and imply that neutrinos are Majorana fermions and therefore their own anti-particles. Combined with other experimental results, the discovery of 0νββ could also have implications for understanding the absolute neutrino mass scale as well as the presently unknown neutrino mass hierarchy. The CUORE experiment is a ton-scale search for 0νββ in 130 Te expected to begin operation in late 2015. The first stage of this experiment is a smaller 39-kg active-mass detector called CUORE-0. This detector contains 11 kg of 130 Te and operates in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso lab in Italy from 2013-2015. The results presented here are based on a nat TeO 2 exposure of 35.2 kg·yr, or 9.8 kg·yr exposure of 130 Te collected between 2013-2015. We see no evidence of 0νββ and place an upper limit on the 0νββ decay rate of Γ 0νββ <0.25x10 24 yr 1 (90 % C.L.), corresponding to a lower limit on the half-life of T 1/2 0ν >2.8x10 24 yr (90 % C.L.). We combine the present result with the results of previous searches in 130 Te. Combining it with the 1.2 kg·Te exposure from the Three Towers Test run we place a half-life limit of T 1/2 03 ν>3.3x10 24 yr (90 % C.L.). And combining these results with the 19.75 kg·yr 130 Te exposure from Cuoricino, we place the strongest limit on the 0νββ half-life of 130 Te to date, at T 1/2 0ν >4.5x10 24 yr (90 % C.L.). Using the present nuclear matrix element calculations for 130 Te, this result corresponds to a 90 % upper limit range on the effective Majorana mass of m ββ <250-710 meV.

PandaX III is a High Pressure gaseous xenon Time Projection Chamber for Double BetaDecay detection. It will be installed deep underground in the JinPing Laboratory in Szechuan province, China. During its first phase the detector will operate with 200 kg of enriched 136Xe. The detector consists of a mesh cathode in the center of a cylindrical vessel and Micro-Bulk Micro-Megas at both ends to read out the drifting charges. The active volume is surrounded by an array of electrodes to shape the homogeneous drift field, the so called field cage. Gaseous xenon, however, is a poor dielectric. It would require in excess of 10 cm to safely stand off the HV between these electrodes and the grounded detector walls. Nearly a quarter of our available xenon would be wasted in this dead space. In a new design the electric field outside the field shaping is totally contained in a cylinder 1.6 m diameter and 2 m long. For manufacturing two 50 mm thick Acrylic plates are bend into half cylinders and bonded together. The outside surface of the cylinder is covered with a copper mesh as ground plane. The gap between field cage and detector vessel can be now reduced to 1 mm, and this gap is field free. The amount of wasted xenon is reduced by a factor 100. The field shaping electrodes and the resistive divider network are mounted on 5 mm thick Acrylic panels suspended on the inside of the field cage. This design is realized with low radioactivity materials.

Report on the work done during the summer student project. The goal was to produce HMI panels for the GERD smoke detection system. The required platform was WinCC OA and the running sensor data needed to be displayed, pump controls were needed and an alarm was required to be set for the smoke sensors upper limit range.

This paper reports on the development of a technology involving {sup 100}Mo-enriched scintillating bolometers, compatible with the goals of CUPID, a proposed next-generation bolometric experiment to search for neutrinoless double-betadecay. Large mass (∝ 1 kg), high optical quality, radiopure {sup 100}Mo-containing zinc and lithium molybdate crystals have been produced and used to develop high performance single detector modules based on 0.2-0.4 kg scintillating bolometers. In particular, the energy resolution of the lithium molybdate detectors near the Q-value of the double-beta transition of {sup 100}Mo (3034 keV) is 4-6 keV FWHM. The rejection of the α-induced dominant background above 2.6 MeV is better than 8σ. Less than 10 μBq/kg activity of {sup 232}Th({sup 228}Th) and {sup 226}Ra in the crystals is ensured by boule recrystallization. The potential of {sup 100}Mo-enriched scintillating bolometers to perform high sensitivity double-betadecay searches has been demonstrated with only 10 kg x d exposure: the two neutrino double-betadecay half-life of {sup 100}Mo has been measured with the up-to-date highest accuracy as T{sub 1/2} = [6.90 ± 0.15(stat.) ± 0.37(syst.)] x 10{sup 18} years. Both crystallization and detector technologies favor lithium molybdate, which has been selected for the ongoing construction of the CUPID-0/Mo demonstrator, containing several kg of {sup 100}Mo. (orig.)

The coincidence detection efficiency of the TUNL-ITEP apparatus designed for measuring half-life times of two-neutrino double-beta (2{nu}{beta}{beta}) decay transitions to excited final states in daughter nuclei has been measured with a factor of 2.4 improved accuracy. In addition, the previous measuring time of 455 days for the study of the {sup 100}Mo 2{nu}{beta}{beta} decay to the first excited 0{sub 1}{sup +} state in {sup 100}Ru has been increased by 450 days, and a new result (combined with the previous measurement obtained with the same apparatus) for this transition is presented: T{sub 1/2}=[5.5{sub -0.8}{sup +1.2}(stat){+-}0.3(syst)]x10{sup 20} yr. Measured 2{nu}{beta}{beta} decay half-life times to excited states can be used to test the reliability of nuclear matrix element calculations needed for determining the effective neutrino mass from zero-neutrino double-betadecay data. We also present new limits for transitions to higher excited states in {sup 100}Ru which, if improved, may be of interest for more exotic conjectures, like a bosonic component to neutrino statistics.

{beta} -decay spectroscopy on a T{sub z}=-2 proton-rich nucleus {sup 24}Si was performed. The decay scheme of {sup 24}Si was reconstructed by the {beta} -delayed {gamma} -ray and proton measurements. Two {beta} branches to the bound 1{sub 1}{sup +} and 1{sub 2}{sup +} states in {sup 24}Al were observed for the first time. The observation of the allowed transition firmly established the spin-parity assignment for the 1{sub 2}{sup +} states. The branching ratios to the 1{sub 1}{sup +} and 1{sub 2}{sup +} states were determined to be 31(4)% and 23.9(15)%, respectively. The branching ratios to three unbound states in {sup 24}Al including a new level at 6.735MeV were also determined for the first time. The level structure of {sup 24}Al was compared with its mirror nucleus {sup 24}Na. The Thomas-Ehrman shift on the 1{sub 2}{sup +} state indicates s -wave dominance in the state as well as a characteristic behavior of the weakly bound s-wave proton in {sup 24}Al. (orig.)

Relativistic electron acceleration through dissipation of a nonlinear, short-wavelength, and monochromatic electromagnetic whistler wave in low-beta plasma is investigated by utilizing a one-dimensional fully relativistic electromagnetic particle-in-cell code. The nonlinear (large-amplitude) parent whistler wave decays through the parametric instability which enhances electrostatic ion acoustic waves and electromagnetic whistler waves. These waves satisfy the condition of three-wave coupling. Through the decay instability, the energy of electron bulk velocity supporting the parent wave is converted to the thermal energy perpendicular to the background magnetic field. Increase of the perpendicular temperature triggers the electron temperature anisotropy instability which generates broadband whistler waves and heats electrons in the parallel direction. The broadband whistler waves are inverse-cascaded during the relaxation of the electron temperature anisotropy. In lower-beta conditions, electrons with a pitch angle of about 90° are successively accelerated by inverse-cascaded whistler waves, and selected electrons are accelerated to over a Lorentz factor of 10. The result implies that the nonlinear dissipation of a finite-amplitude and short-wavelength whistler wave plays an important role in producing relativistic nonthermal electrons over a few MeV especially at lower beta plasmas.

Here we present the specifications of a newly developed beta-spectrometer, based on full absorption Si(Li) detector and thin transmission detector, allowing one to perform efficient separation beta-radiation and accompanying X-rays and gamma radiation. Our method is based on registration of coincident events from both detectors. The spectrometer can be used for precision measurements of various beta-spectra, namely for the beta-spectrum shape study of 144Pr, which is considered to be an advantageous anti-neutrino source for sterile neutrino searches.

The search for "neutrino-less double-bete decay" decay in candidate nuclear isotopes remains a central focus in contemporary particle physics, with the main goal of establishing whether the neutrino is its own anti-particle. A positive detection would also establish the presence of lepton number violation in this decay, and suggest the existence of processes beyond the Standard Model and reach of terrestrial accelerators. With the discovery and quantitative assessment of neutrino flavor oscillation, guaranteeing the presence of a non-zero neutrino mass – a requirement for "neutrino-less double-bete decay" decay to occur – motivation has surged. In a review of the present diverse and vigorous current experimental situation, I must focus on just a few approaches and candidate isotopes, in particular on 136Xe and a new experimental effort, NEXT, exploiting the unfamiliar phenomenon of electroluminescence. But, even if the neutrino is its own anti-particle, experiments may see no decays! Stil...

The results reported here have been obtained with an 40 Argon beam on a Be target. The separated nuclei were implanted in a catcher foil placed in between a thin scintillator detecting the betas and a high volume Ge detector; only gammas in coincidence with betas were recorded. Results for the gamma energies and the half-lives of the observed isotopes are given

The β decay of the neutron-deficient isotope 103 In was investigated by using total absorption γ-ray spectrometry on mass-separated sources. The measurement reveals a high-lying resonance of the β-decay strength in striking disagreement with high-resolution γ-ray data. The result is discussed in comparison with shell-model predictions

The $\\beta$-decay half-life of $^{70}$Kr has been measured for the first time at the ISOLDE PSB Facility at CERN. Mass separated $^{70}$Kr ions were produced by 1 GeV proton induced spallation reactions in a Nb foil. The measured half-life is 57(21) ms. This value is consistent with the half-life calculated assuming a pure Fermi decay, but is clearly lower than the value used in a recent rp-process reaction flow calculation. The result shows that the reaction flow via two-proton-capture of $^{68}$Se is 2.5 times faster than previously calculated assuming an astrophysical temperature of 1.5 GK and a density of 10$^{6}$g/cm$^{3}$.

After successful completion of Phase I the Gerda (Germanium Detector Array) experiment underwent a major upgrade of the experimental apparatus. These upgrades include additional 20 kg of custom-made detectors with improved background rejection capabilities, accompanied by improved front-end electronics and an active liquid argon scintillation light veto. A sensitivity on the neutrinoless double betadecay half-life (T{sub 1/2}{sup 0ν}) of 10{sup 26} yr should be reached after a few years of data taking (Phase II). First results of Phase II commissioning and latest results from Phase I analyses are presented in this talk.

We have constructed a system using a duoplasmatron source to produce a beam of low-energy (0 - few hundred eV) protons with the principal goal of testing and calibrating detectors used to detect protons from neutron betadecay. The system is stable and produces beams by simply turning on the associated power supplies without the need of careful tuning. As an example we show data from calibration of a surface barrier detector in the emiT apparatus. Protons from the system were scattered from an Al target and used to calibrate detectors in the emiT apparatus.

The Glashow-Weinberg-Salam theory of unified electromagnetic and weak interactions, believed to be the correct quantum theory of these interactions, possesses the great advantage of being renormable. Thus the perturbation theory is applicable to calculate the radiative corrections of the tree-graph results. The present paper describes the detailed calculation of one-loop corrections to betadecay of hyperons. After defining the theory and fixing the gauge and renormalization conventions, the equations of weak and electromagnetic one-loop corrections are derived. Numerical evaluation of the equations was helped by algebraic and integrator computer codes. The results are directly comparable to experimental data. (D.Gy.)

Free neutron decay, n{yields}pe anti {nu}{sub e}, is the simplest nuclear betadecay, well described as a purely left-handed, vector minus axial-vector interaction within the framework of the Standard Model (SM) of elementary particles and fields. Due to its highly precise theoretical description, neutron betadecay data can be used to test certain extensions to the SM. Possible extensions require, e.g., new symmetry concepts like left-right symmetry, new particles, leptoquarks, supersymmetry, or the like. Precision measurements of observables in neutron betadecay address important open questions of particle physics and cosmology, and are generally complementary to direct searches for new physics beyond the SM in high-energy physics. In this doctoral thesis, a measurement of the proton recoil spectrum with the neutron decay spectrometer aSPECT is described. From the proton spectrum the antineutrinoelectron angular correlation coefficient a can be derived. In our first beam time at the Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz in Munich, Germany (2005-2006), background instabilities due to particle trapping and the electronic noise level of the proton detector prevented us from presenting a new value for a. In the latest beam time at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France (2007-2008), the trapped particle background has been reduced sufficiently and the electronic noise problem has essentially been solved. For the first time, a silicon drift detector was used. As a result of the data analysis, we identified and fixed a problem in the detector electronics which caused a significant systematic error. The target figure of the latest beam time was a new value for a with a total relative error well below the present literature value of 4 %. A statistical accuracy of about 1.4% was reached, but we could only set upper limits on the correction of the problem in the detector electronics, which are too high to determine a meaningful result. The present

Free neutron decay, n→pe anti ν e , is the simplest nuclear betadecay, well described as a purely left-handed, vector minus axial-vector interaction within the framework of the Standard Model (SM) of elementary particles and fields. Due to its highly precise theoretical description, neutron betadecay data can be used to test certain extensions to the SM. Possible extensions require, e.g., new symmetry concepts like left-right symmetry, new particles, leptoquarks, supersymmetry, or the like. Precision measurements of observables in neutron betadecay address important open questions of particle physics and cosmology, and are generally complementary to direct searches for new physics beyond the SM in high-energy physics. In this doctoral thesis, a measurement of the proton recoil spectrum with the neutron decay spectrometer aSPECT is described. From the proton spectrum the antineutrinoelectron angular correlation coefficient a can be derived. In our first beam time at the Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz in Munich, Germany (2005-2006), background instabilities due to particle trapping and the electronic noise level of the proton detector prevented us from presenting a new value for a. In the latest beam time at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France (2007-2008), the trapped particle background has been reduced sufficiently and the electronic noise problem has essentially been solved. For the first time, a silicon drift detector was used. As a result of the data analysis, we identified and fixed a problem in the detector electronics which caused a significant systematic error. The target figure of the latest beam time was a new value for a with a total relative error well below the present literature value of 4 %. A statistical accuracy of about 1.4% was reached, but we could only set upper limits on the correction of the problem in the detector electronics, which are too high to determine a meaningful result. The present doctoral

The central power station, a place where there are machines that generate power, equipped with substation where the voltage is produced by the generator and increased to a certain voltage with a step up voltage transformer. Effect on transformer oil is very important, transformer may malfunction if the oil that serves as a coolant and insulator gradually decreased its ability, over time their use. Power transformer on usability is vital, so it needs to be maintained so that the temperature rise must be overcome by applying a temperature control that can inform and control the control valve to open the hydrant tap transformer cooling. HMI implemented to facilitate the operators cope with excess heat in the transformer using thermocouple censor. Test results show that the control transformer and monitored using PLC and HMI. Transformer can maintain the condition of a maximum of 80 degrees Celsius heat.

The 150 Nd is considered one of the most attractive candidate for searching neutrinoless double beta (0νββ-) decay, thanks to its high Q-value (3.367 MeV), that makes the external background issue less significative respect to other isotopes, and favorable computed matrix elements. The isotopic abundance of this isotope in natural neodimium is only 5.6% and up to now, it has been investigated only in low mass experiments. The next step is to increase the sensitivity of the experiments using larger mass of neodymium (10 ton-1 kton). This could be possible with a Nd loaded liquid scintillator (LS). At the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), a joint INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) and INR (Institute for Nuclear Research of Moscow) working group has been carrying out since 2001 an R and D activity aiming to develop organic liquid scintillators (LS) doped with metals. The achieved know-how and the satisfactory results obtained both with In and Gd allowed to face the development and production of Nd doped LS. The development of metal doped LS is challenging because the metal has to be embedded in a proper organic system that makes it soluble in an organic solvent minimizing the impact of the metal-organic compound on the optical and scintillation properties of the LS. A further challenge in the case of Nd is the presence of absorption bands of this element in the optical region with a transparent region around 400 nm, which is about at the maximum of the scintillator emission spectrum. A 2.5 1 Nd loaded LS has been produced diluting an originally developed Nd-Carboxylic (Nd-CBX) salt in pseudocumene (PC), the solvent of the Borexino liquid scintillator. The measured light yield, at [Nd] = 6.5 g/1 and [PPO] = 1.5 g/1, is ∼ 75% of pure PC at the same fluor concentration (∼ 10000 ph/MeV). The Nd doped LS has been tested in a 2 1 quartz cell (wrapped by VM2000 reflector film) having dimensions 5x5x100 cm 3 . The light propagates in the cell by total

Electron-neutrino electron elastic scattering and two-body electron- neutrino carbon scattering reactions were observed using a 15 ton fine-grained detector and neutrinos from μ + decay at rest. The data was obtained during an exposure to neutrinos produced in LAMPF proton beam-stop. Based on identification of 262±46 ν e e - events the total cross-section for ν e e - → ν e e - was measured to be σ(ν e E - ) = (3.09±0.54(stat)±0.39(syst)) x 10 -43 cm 2 . The interference between the weak charged and neutral currents was measured for the first time. The interference was found to be destructive, with a magnitude 0.97±0.22 times the value predicted by the WSG theory. The total cross-section was also used to measure sin 2 θ W = 0.24±0.06(stat)±0.04(syst). The data restricts the maximum allowed value of the neutrino magnetic moment to be less than 1.3 x 10 -9 Bohr magnetrons for ν e and 8.8 x 10 -10 for ν mu . In a separate analysis, 182±22 12 C(ν e ,e - ) 12 N(gs) events with subsequent 12 N(β + ) 12 C were observed, corresponding to a total cross-section, σ(ν e 12 C → e - 12 N(gs)) = (1.03 ± 0.12(stat) ± 0.10(sys)) x10 -41 cm 2 . This was the first observation of ν e -induced transitions between specific nuclear states. The results is good agreement with theoretical predictions

This dissertation presents a measurement of the time-dependent CP-violating asymmetries in the neutral B-meson system performed with data collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. The data sample used consists of 29.7 fb{sup -1} collected at the {Upsilon}(4S) resonance and 3.9 fb{sup -1} collected off-resonance. We analyze three samples of fully-reconstructed B-meson decays: a sample of decays to CP eigenstates in the modes J/{psi} K{sub s}{sup 0}, {psi}(2S) K{sub s}{sup 0}, {chi}{sub cl} K{sub s}{sup 0}, and J/{psi} K*{sup 0} (822 events); as well as both charged (14304 events) and neutral (10457 events) B decays to flavor-eigenstates including D{sup (*)} and {pi}/{rho}/{alpha}{sub 1}. In all cases, the proper decay time difference between the reconstructed B-meson and the recoiling B-meson is determined by measuring the separation of the two decay vertices. Furthermore, the flavor of the recoiling B-meson is tagged using a neural network algorithm. We use the flavor-eigenstate samples to calibrate both the vertexing and tagging performance. We measure the amplitude of the CP asymmetry, sin2{beta} = 0.61 {+-} 0.14(stat) {+-} 0.06(syst). These results indicate the existence of indirect CP violation in the B-meson system.

CUORICINO was a cryogenic bolometer experiment designed to search for neutrinoless double betadecay and other rare processes, including double betadecay with two neutrinos (2vββ). The experiment was located at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and ran for a period of about 5 years, from 2003 to 2008. The detector consisted of an array of 62 TeO2 crystals arranged in a tower and operated at a temperature of 10 mK. Events depositing energy in the detectors, such as radioactive decays or impinging particles, produced thermal pulses in the crystals which were read out using sensitive thermistors. The experiment included 4 enriched crystals, 2 enriched with 130Te and 2 with 128Te, in order to aid in the measurement of the 2vββ rate. The enriched crystals contained a total of 350 g 130Te. The 128-enriched (130-depleted) crystals were used as background monitors, so that the shared backgrounds could be subtracted from the energy spectrum of the 130- enriched crystals. Residual backgrounds in the subtracted spectrum were fit using spectra generated by Monte-Carlo simulations of natural radioactive contaminants located in and on the crystals. The 2vββ half-life was measured to be T2v1/2 = [9.81± 0.96(stat)± 0.49(syst)] x1020 y.

136Xe is used in large neutrinoless double-beta (0 νββ) decay experiments, such as KamLAND- Zen and EXO 200. Though highly purified, 136Xe still contains a significant amount of 134Xe. Recently, a new nuclear energy level was found in 134Xe. If 134Xe decays from this proposed excited state, it will emit a 2485.7 keV gamma ray. Because this energy lies near the region of interest of 136Xe νββ decay experiments (Q value 2457.8 keV), it could make a significant contribution to the background. A purified gaseous sample of 134Xe will be irradiated with neutrons of an incident energy of 4.0 MeV at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory and monitored with high-purity germanium detectors. The spectra obtained from these detectors will be analyzed for the presence of the 2581 keV gamma ray. We will report on the status of this experiment. Future plans include expanding this measurement to higher initial neutron energies. Tennesse Tech University CISE Grant program.

We present a measurement of the \\CP-violating parameter \\betas using approximately 6500 $\\BsJpsiPhi$ decays reconstructed with the CDF\\,II detector in a sample of $p\\bar p$ collisions at $\\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV corresponding to 5.2 fb$^{-1}$ integrated luminosity produced by the Tevatron Collider at Fermilab. We find the \\CP-violating phase to be within the range $\\betas \\in [0.02, 0.52] \\cup [1.08, 1.55]$ at 68% confidence level where the coverage property of the quoted interval is guaranteed using a frequentist statistical analysis. This result is in agreement with the standard model expectation at the level of about one Gaussian standard deviation. We consider the inclusion of a potential $S$-wave contribution to the $\\Bs\\to J/\\psi K^+K^-$ final state which is found to be negligible over the mass interval $1.009 < m(K^+K^-)<1.028 \\gevcc$. Assuming the standard model prediction for the \\CP-violating phase \\betas, we find the \\Bs decay width difference to be $\\deltaG = 0.075 \\pm 0.035\\,\\textrm{(stat)} \\pm 0.006\\,\\textrm{(syst)} \\ps$. We also present the most precise measurements of the \\Bs mean lifetime $\\tau(\\Bs) = 1.529 \\pm 0.025\\,\\textrm{(stat)} \\pm 0.012\\,\\textrm{(syst)}$ ps, the polarization fractions $|A_0(0)|^2 = 0.524 \\pm 0.013\\,\\textrm{(stat)} \\pm 0.015\\,\\textrm{(syst)}$ and $|A_{\\parallel}(0)|^2 = 0.231 \\pm 0.014\\,\\textrm{(stat)} \\pm 0.015\\,\\textrm{(syst)}$, as well as the strong phase $\\delta_{\\perp}= 2.95 \\pm 0.64\\,\\textrm{(stat)} \\pm 0.07\\,\\textrm{(syst)} \\textrm{rad}$. In addition, we report an alternative Bayesian analysis that gives results consistent with the frequentist approach.

The high Q$_\\beta$ values in certain neutron-rich regions of the chart of nuclides opens up the possibility to study states in the daughter nuclei which lie at high excitation energy, above the neutron separation threshold. We propose to perform spectroscopy of the $\\beta$-delayed neutron emission of the $^{51-53}$K isotopes to study the population of single-particle or particle-hole states both below and above the neutron separation threshold. The VANDLE neutron detector will be used in combination with the IDS tape station setup and Ge detectors.

Decay of mass-separated samples of the nuclide 73 Br have been investigated by means of an on-line isotope separator in the Tandem Accelerator Laboratory of Kyushu University. Twenty eight γ-rays were assigned to the decay of 73 Br. The half-life was measured to be 3.4±0.2 min. The decay scheme of 73 Br was constructed on the basis of γ-ray energies, intensities of γ-rays and conversion electrons, and relations of γγ-, βγ- and γ(ce)-coincidences. Spins and parities of the ten levels of 73 Se were assigned or limited according to log ft values, conversion coefficients and branching ratios of the transitions. Systematical trends in the level schemes of N=39 isotones 69 Zn, 71 Ge, 73 Se, 75 Kr and 77 Sr are discussed. (orig.)

A theoretical study of β decay and delayed neutron has been carried out with a global β-decay model, the gross theory. The gross theory is based on a consideration of the sum rule of the β-strength function, and gives reasonable results of β-decay rates and delayed neutron in the entire nuclear mass region. In a fissioning nucleus, neutrons are produced by β decay of neutron-rich fission fragments from actinides known as delayed neutrons. The average number of delayed neutrons is estimated based on the sum of the β-delayed neutron-emission probabilities multiplied by the cumulative fission yield for each nucleus. Such a behavior is important to manipulate nuclear reactors, and when we adopt some new high-burn-up reactors, properties of minor actinides will play an important roll in the system, but these data have not been sufficient. We re-analyze and improve the gross theory. For example, we considered the parity of neutrons and protons at the Fermi surface, and treat a suppression for the allowed transitions in the framework of the gross theory. By using the improved gross theory, underestimated half-lives in the neutron-rich indium isotopes and neighboring region increase, and consequently follow experimental trend. The ability of reproduction (and also prediction) of the β-decay rates, delayed-neutron emission probabilities is discussed. With this work, we have described the development of a programming code of the gross theory of β-decay including the improved parts. After preparation finished, this code can be released for the nuclear data community.

This book is an introduction to the physics of the semileptonic decay of hyperons. After a general introduction and a description of the experimental results the Cabibbo theory is introduced for the theoretical description of these results. Then radiative and other corrections are discussed. Finally this decay is considered in the framework of broken SU(3). This book applies to graduate students and other ''non-specialists'' who want to get some insight into the physics of weak interactions. (HSI).

Examples of large-basis shell-model calculations of Gamow-Teller β-decay properties of specific interest in the astrophysical s- and r- processes are presented. Numerical results are given for: (1) the GT-matrix elements for the excited state decays of the unstable s-process nucleus 99 Tc; and (2) the GT-strength function for the neutron-rich nucleus 130 Cd, which lies on the r-process path. The results are discussed in conjunction with the astrophysics problems. 23 refs., 3 figs

A low-lying long-lived (26±1 ms) isomer in $^{34}$Al has been observed recently and assigned as 1$^{+}$ state of intruder character. It was populated in $^{36}$S fragmentation and feeds, in $\\beta$-decay, the 0$_{2}^{+}$ state in $^{34}$Si whose excitation energy and lifetime were determined in an electron-positron pairs spectroscopy experiment. In the present experiment we intend to measure for the first time the $\\gamma$-rays following the $\\beta$-decay of $^{34}$Mg. Despite the interest for $^{34}$Mg, the up-right corner of the “N$\\thicksim$20 island of inversion”, the only information on its $\\beta$-decay is the lifetime of 20±10 ms, determined from $\\beta$-neutron coincidences. As a result of the proposed experiment, we expect to place the first transitions in the level scheme of $^{34}$Al and to strongly populate the newly observed isomer, measuring its excitation energy, if the branching ratio to 4$^{−}$ ground state is significant. Theoretical estimations for the $\\beta$-decay of the new isome...

Driven by the search for dark matter particles the XENON dark matter project recently installed its next stage multi-ton experiment XENON1T at the LNGS, which will probe the spin-indpendent-WIMP-Nucleon cross section down to 2.10{sup -47} cm{sup 2}. Besides its main purpose different particle physics topics can be addressed by the taken data. One example are the double betadecay processes of natural isotope {sup 124}Xe. This isotope is expected to decay via two-neutrino double electron capture (2νECEC) and due to its high Q-value of 2864 keV additionally through 2νβ{sup +}β{sup +}. Since these processes have not been detected so far, there is only a lower limit the respective half-life (e.g. > 4.7.10{sup 21} yr for 2νECEC). A detection of the 2νECEC is possible using XENON1T data by looking for its clear signature of secondary X-rays or Auger electrons and at least new lower half-life limits for all other decay channels can be obtained. While these processes are expected from standard model physics, a detection of a decay without neutrinos (e.g 0νECEC) would hint towards beyond the standard model physics and could derive conclusions on the neutrino mass. Until XENON1T is taking data, the search for all processes can be tested in the recorded data of its predecessor XENON100.

This proposal is aimed at the study of the $\\beta$-decay of the neutron-­deficient $^{182,184,186}$Hg nuclei using the total absorption technique. Recent theoretical results show that, from measurements of the Gamow-­Teller strength distribution, the shapes of the ground states of the decaying Hg nuclei can be inferred. This study offers an independent way to study the phenomenon of shape coexistence in a region of particular interest.

The half-life of long-lived /sup 236/Np, due to ..cap alpha.., ..beta.. and electron-capture decay, was found to be 1.55 x 10/sup 5/ yr. Of all decays, 88% populate excited states in /sup 236/U and 12% populate levels in /sup 236/Pu. Lifetimes measured by growth of the ground states of /sup 236/U and /sup 236/Pu agree with values from corresponding ..gamma.. de-excitations in these daughter nuclei. Therefore, nearly all the electron-capture decays populate the 6/sup +/ level of the ground-state band in /sup 236/U. Similarly, essentially all the ..beta../sup -/ decay populates an analogous 6/sup +/ level in /sup 236/Pu, which de-excites through a previously unreported transition of 158.3 keV. If a very week ..gamma..-ray at 894 keV can be ascribed to a level in /sup 232/U populated by ..beta.. decay of /sup 232/Pa, its existence establishes a 0.2% ..cap alpha..-branching decay in /sup 236/Np.

A gas proportional chamber has been assembled to make precise observations of the low-energy region of the sup 3 H beta spectrum. Backgrounds have been measured and understood, and are maintained at approx 2% of the data rate. Wall effects have been simulated for this chamber and are predicted at <0.5% of events. Systematic effects which may introduce errors into the observed spectrum have been carefully measured at a level below approx 10 sup - sup 4 per ADC channel. This apparatus will be used to make precise measurements of the effects of screening of the nuclear charge by orbital electrons on the beta spectrum of sup 3 H, and to attempt to observe the effect of a hypothesized admixture of heavy neutrinos in the sup 3 H spectrum.

We perform a detailed analysis of the one-loop corrections to the light neutrino mass matrix within low scale type I seesaw extensions of the Standard Model and their implications in experimental searches for neutrinoless double betadecay. We show that a sizable contribution to the effective Majorana neutrino mass from the exchange of heavy Majorana neutrinos is always possible, provided one requires a fine-tuned cancellation between the tree-level and one-loop contribution to the light neutrino masses. We quantify the level of fine-tuning as a function of the seesaw parameters and introduce a generalisation of the Casas-Ibarra parametrization of the neutrino Yukawa matrix, which easily allows to include the one-loop corrections to the light neutrino masses.

Future experiments on neutrinoless double beta-decay with the aim of exploring the inverted hierarchy region have to employ detectors with excellent energy resolution and zero background in the energy region of interest. Cryogenic scintillating bolometers turn out to be a suitable candidate since they offer particle discrimination: the dual channel detection of the heat and the scintillation light signal allows for particle identification. In particular such detectors permit for a suppression of α-induced backgrounds, a key-issue for next-generation tonne-scale bolometric experiments. We report on the progress and current status of the LUCIFER/CUPID-0 demonstrator, the first array of scintillating bolometers based on enriched Zn82Se crystals which is expected to start data taking in 2016 and the potential of this detection technique for a future tonne-scale bolometric experiment after CUORE.

We extend some two Higgs doublet models, where the Yukawa couplings for the charged fermion mass generation only involve one Higgs doublet, by two singlet scalars respectively carrying a singly electric charge and a doubly electric charge. The doublet and singlet scalars together can mediate a two-loop diagram to generate a tiny Majorana mass matrix of the standard model neutrinos. Remarkably, the structure of the neutrino mass matrix is fully determined by the symmetric Yukawa couplings of the doubly charged scalar to the right-handed leptons. Meanwhile, a one-loop induced neutrinoless double betadecay can arrive at a testable level even if the electron neutrino has an extremely small Majorana mass. We also study other experimental constraints and implications including some rare processes and Higgs phenomenology.

Full Text Available We extend some two Higgs doublet models, where the Yukawa couplings for the charged fermion mass generation only involve one Higgs doublet, by two singlet scalars respectively carrying a singly electric charge and a doubly electric charge. The doublet and singlet scalars together can mediate a two-loop diagram to generate a tiny Majorana mass matrix of the standard model neutrinos. Remarkably, the structure of the neutrino mass matrix is fully determined by the symmetric Yukawa couplings of the doubly charged scalar to the right-handed leptons. Meanwhile, a one-loop induced neutrinoless double betadecay can arrive at a testable level even if the electron neutrino has an extremely small Majorana mass. We also study other experimental constraints and implications including some rare processes and Higgs phenomenology.

The decay asymmetries (A) in polarized /sup 12/B and /sup 12/N have been measured as a function of ..beta..-ray energy, E. The coefficients asub(+-), in A=+-P(p/E)(1+asub(+-)E), have been determined to be a-(/sup 12/B)=+(0.31+-0.06)%/MeV and a+(/sup 12/N)=-(0.21+-0.07)%/MeV. The experimental value, asub(-)-asub(+)=(0.52+-0.09)%/MeV, is larger than the prediction according to conservation of vector current, (asub(-)-asub(+))cvc asymptotically equals 0.27%/MeV, which includes no second-class current. Thus, the result is in favor of the existence of the second-class induced-tensor current.

The unabridged data used in preparing ICRP Publication 38 (1983) and a monograph of the Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) Committee are now available in electronic form. The open-quotes ICRP38 collectionclose quotes contains data on the energies and intensities of radiations emitted by 825 radionuclides (those in ICRP Publication 38 plus 13 from the MIRD monograph), and the open-quotes MIRD collectionclose quotes contains data on 242 radionuclides. Each collection consists of a radiations data file and a beta spectra data file. The radiations data file contains the complete listing of the emitted radiations, their types, mean or unique energies, and absolute intensities for each radionuclide, the probability that a beta particle will be emitted with kinetic energies defined by a standard energy grid. Although summary information from the radiation data files has been published, neither the unabridged data nor the beta spectra have been published. These data files and a data extraction utility, which runs on a personal computer, are available from the Radiation Shielding Information Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 13 refs., 1 fig., 6 tabs

The low-lying levels of the odd-mass nuclei 131 Ce and 129 Ce have been investigated by means of the β + /EC decays of 131g+m Pr and 129 Pr, respectively. The Pr nuclei were obtained by bombarding 94,96 Mo targets with a 255 MeV 40 Ca beam. The radioactivities produced in the reactions were transported with a He-jet device and γγt, Xγt, e - γt coincidence measurements were performed. Conversion electrons were measured with a magnetic spectrometer and transition multipolarities were deduced. On-line mass separation was used to select the 129 Pr β-decay. The resulting level schemes of 131,129,127 Ce are discussed in connection with level systematics and calculations performed by using the interacting boson-fermion model (IBFM). (orig.)

We have studied the β-spectrum of 14 C using a germanium detector containing a crystal with 14 C dissolved in it. We find a feature in the β-spectrum 17 keV below the endpoint which can be explained by the hypothesis that there is a heavy neutrino emitted in the β-decay of 14 C with a mass of 17 ± 2 keV and an emission probability of 1.40 ± 0.45%. In addition, we have studied the inner bremsstrahlung spectrum of 55 Fe and also find indications of the emission of a ∼ 17-keV neutrino. These results are consistent with observations of similar anomalies in the β-decays of 3 H and 35 S. 29 refs., 7 figs

The fast-rabbit facilities of the ORRR were used to irradiate 1- to 10-μg samples of 235 U for 1, 10, and 100 s. Released power is observed using nuclear spectroscopy to permit separate observations of emitted β and γ spectra in successive time intervals. The spectra were integrated over energy to obtain total decay heat and the β- and γ-ray results are summed together. 10 fig, 2 tables

In two complementary measurements, a cube like array of 6 Euroball-Cluster germanium detectors and a total-absorption γ-spectrometer were used to investigate the β decay of 97 Ag, a three proton-hole nucleus with respect to the 100 Sn core. The half-life and Q EC value of the decay of the 9/2 + ground-state of 97 Ag were determined to be 25.9(4) s and 6.98(11) MeV respectively. A total of 603 γ rays (578 new) was observed, and 151 levels (132 new) in 97 Pd have been identified. An interesting β-delayed γ cascade was observed, which comprises 6 γ-transitions with a de-excitation pattern involving an initial increase of the level spin. The Gamow-Teller (GT) β-decay strength distributions from the two measurements reveal a large GT resonance around 4 MeV with a width of about 1.8 MeV. The hindrance factor for the total GT strength summed from the ground-state up to 6 MeV excitation energy in 97 Pd, amounts to 4.3(6) with reference to a shell-model prediction. This factor is discussed in comparison with a core-polarization and a Monte-Carlo shell-model calculation. (orig.)

The thesis consists mainly of two parts. The first part is a study of the bound-state β decay of 187 Re and its application in Astrophysics. There existed an uncertainty in the ratio ρ b of bound-state to continuum β decay of 187 Re in both theory and experiment. A more definite theoretical result of ρ b ∼ 1% is obtained by using single-configuration and multi-configuration Hartree-Fock-Dirac approximations. The results obtained are close to those obtained by Williams, Fowler, and Koonin by a modified Thomas-Fermi model. The bound-state β decay of 187 Re at high temperatures is also studied. The second part of the thesis is a generalization of the Thomas-Fermi results of various energy contribution to the ground-state energy of a neutral atom. An analytical expression for the ratio of the electron-electron to electron-nuclear interaction is obtained by the corrected Thomas-Fermi result, the ratio obtained gives a better agreement with the Hartree-Fock numerical results

The neutrinoless double-beta (0ν2β) decay is currently the only feasible process in particle and nuclear physics to probe whether massive neutrinos are the Majorana fermions. If they are of a Majorana nature and have a normal mass ordering, the effective neutrino mass term left angle m right angle {sub ee} of a 0ν2β decay may suffer significant cancellations among its three components and thus sink into a decline, resulting in a ''well'' in the three-dimensional graph of vertical stroke left angle m right angle {sub ee} vertical stroke against the smallest neutrino mass m{sub 1} and the relevant Majorana phase ρ. We present a new and complete analytical understanding of the fine issues inside such a well, and identify a novel threshold of vertical stroke left angle m right angle {sub ee} vertical stroke in terms of the neutrino masses and flavor mixing angles: vertical stroke left angle m right angle {sub ee} vertical stroke {sub *} = m{sub 3}sin{sup 2}θ{sub 13} in connection with tanθ{sub 12} = √(m{sub 1}/m{sub 2}) and ρ = π. This threshold point, which links the local minimum and maximum of vertical stroke left angle m right angle {sub ee} vertical stroke, can be used to signify observability or sensitivity of the future 0ν2β-decay experiments. Given current neutrino oscillation data, the possibility of vertical stroke left angle m right angle {sub ee} vertical stroke < vertical stroke left angle m right angle {sub ee} vertical stroke {sub *} is found to be very small. (orig.)

The near-infrared scintillation of xenon gas by the β decay of 37MBq of Ni63 was studied, in the interest of its use in integrated devices for applications such as optical beacons and wavelength calibration. The emission was imaged and analyzed using Spencer's theory of electron penetration using xenon scattering cross sections derived from Thomas-Fermi theory. The total emission was approximately 2×105photons/s at 20kPa and 1×105photons/s at 100kPa. Spectral data show three dominant peaks at 823, 828, and 882nm as well as the formation of metastable states.

The superallowed β-decay rates that provide stringent constraints on physics beyond the standard model of particle physics are affected by nuclear structure effects through isospin-breaking corrections. The self-consistent isospin- and angular-momentum-projected nuclear density functional theory is used for the first time to compute those corrections for a number of Fermi transitions in nuclei from A=10 to A=74. The resulting leading element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, |V ud |=0.974 47(23), agrees well with the recent result of Towner and Hardy [Phys. Rev. C 77, 025501 (2008)].

Two experiments to understand the standard electro-weak model are presented. In one experiment scalar contributions to the weak interaction were searched for by determining with accuracy the e − ν correlation coefficient in a 0+ → 0+ decay. The correlation coefficient for the 0+ → 0+ β-decay of 32Ar was measured to be a = 0.9989 Â± 0.0052 Â± 0.0036, for vanishing Fierz interference. This was used to put unprecedented limits on scalar contributions to the weak interaction. In the second experiment the β-delayed α spectrum from 8B was measured. The experiment was designed to overcome systematic uncertainties that plagued previous measurements. This spectrum differs significantly from previous measurements. The measured α spectrum was used to deduce the ν spectrum. This will be used as a benchmark by experiments trying to detect distortions of the solar-ν spectrum in the search for physics beyond the standard model.

Beta-decay half-lives of the ground state and an isomer of sup 1 sup 0 sup 2 Rh have been determined 207.3(17) d and 3.742(10) y, respectively, by gamma-ray decay curves following each beta-decay. It has been found that a state (2 sup -) which has a shorter half-life (207.3 d) is the ground state from the result that the half-life of the 41.9 keV isomeric gamma-transition was equal to 3.742 y. It has also been confirmed that the 41.9 keV transition is certainly an isomeric transition with X-gamma coincidence measurement.

The goal of this project was to perform very precise measurements of super-allowed Fermi β decay in order to investigate a possible non-unitarity in the CKM matrix of the Standard Model of particle physics. Current data from 9 precisely measured β decays indicated that the sum-of-squares of the first row of the CKM matrix differs from 1.0 at the 2.2σ (or 98% confidence) level. If true, it would be the first firm indication of physics beyond the Standard Model--the model that has been the backbone of the worldwide physics community for more than 30 years. The physics goal of the project was to test and constrain the calculated correction factors that must be applied to the experimental data by performing measurements at the TRIUMF radioactive ion beam facility ISAC. Accurate and precise (precision goal >99.9%) half lives and decay branching ratios were measured for nuclei where different sets of calculated corrections give divergent results thereby allowing us to determine which theory, if any, gives the correct result. The LLNL contribution was to design and build the data acquisition system that will enable the experiments, and to provide theoretical calculations necessary for the interpretation of the results. The first planned measurement was 34 Ar, to be followed by 62 Ga and 74 Rb. However, there were major problems in creating a suitable, intense beam of radioactive 34 Ar. The collaboration decided to proceed with measurements on 62 Ga and 18 Ne. These experiments were performed in a series of measurements in the summer and fall of 2004. The LLNL team also is leading the effort to perform measurements on 66 As and 70 Br that are expected during 2006-2008. While the definitive experiments to meet the goals of the LDRD were not conducted during the funding period, the involvement in the radioactive program at TRIUMF has lead to a number of new initiatives, and has attracted new staff to LLNL. This LDRD has laid the foundation for involvement in one of the

Radon and mercury isotopes were produced in multi nucleon transfer (48Ca + 232Th) and complete fusion (48Ca + naturalNd) reactions, respectively. The isotopes with given masses were detected using two detectors: a multi-strip detector of the well-type (made in CANBERRA) and a position-sensitive quantum counting hybrid pixel detector of the TIMEPIX type. The isotopes implanted into the detectors then emit alpha- and betaparticles until reaching the long lived isotopes. The position of the isotopes, the tracks, the time and energy of beta-particles were measured and analyzed. A new software for the particle recognition and data analysis of experimental results was developed and used. It was shown that MASHA+ TIMEPIX setup is a powerful instrument for investigation of neutron-rich isotopes far from stability limits.

In order to shed light on the important question whether neutrinos are Dirac or Majorana particles, the double β decay is investigated within a general form of weak interaction Hamiltonian. The systematic study is made on the 0 + → J + nuclear transitions for the two-neutrino and neutrinoless modes both in the two-nucleon- and N*-mechanism. It is shown that for the neutrinoless mode, only the 0 + → 0 + transition in the two-nucleon mechanism is allowed if there is no right-handed interaction. When the right-handed interaction gives a sizable contribution, the role of the 0 + → 2 + transition becomes as important as the 0 + → 0 + transition. The comparison of our results with the previous ones is also presented. (author)

The method used to reduce the four-dimensional Bethe-Salpeter equation to the three-dimensional Schroedinger equation, thus defining a potential in terms of the field theoretic interaction, can be generalized to define a consistent exchange by considering the relativistic interaction of a current with a bound state of nucleons. This covariant approach allows a unified treatment of exchange current effects, renormalization of the nuclear wave function due to meson exchange, relativistic corrections and negative energy contributions to the wave function and it is discussed in detail how these effects influence the Gamow-Teller matrix element for the decay 3 H→ 3 He + e + antiγ. One and two-meson exchange processes are calculated including nucleon resonances in intermediate states, and good agreement of theoretical and experimental predictions for the GT matrix element is found. (Auth.)

The fundamental theory of the interaction of intense, low-frequency electromagnetic fields with certain radioactive nuclei has been fully formulated. The nuclei are of the type that exists in high-level radioactive wastes that are end products of the production of energy from nuclear fission. The basic physical mechanisms that underlie the coupling of the applied field to the nucleus have been identified. Both the basic theory and numerical predictions that stem from it support the conclusion that high-level radioactive wastes can be disposed of by substantially accelerating the rate of radioactive decay. Some old experiments on the acceleration of this type of radioactivity, with results that were not understood at the time, have been re-examined. Their interpretation is now clear, and the experiments are found to be in agreement with the theory

Masses of the radioactive isotopes {sup 62}Ga, {sup 62}Zn and {sup 62}Cu have been measured at the JYFLTRAP facility with a relative precision of better than 1.8x10{sup -8}. A Q{sub EC} value of (9181.07{+-}0.54) keV for the superallowed decay of {sup 62}Ga is obtained from the measured cyclotron frequency ratios of {sup 62}Ga-{sup 62}Zn, {sup 62}Ga-{sup 62}Ni and {sup 62}Zn-{sup 62}Ni ions. The resulting Ft-value supports the validity of the conserved vector current hypothesis (CVC). The mass excess values measured were (-51986.5{+-}1.0) keV for {sup 62}Ga (-61167.9{+-}0.9) keV for {sup 62}Zn and (-62787.2{+-}0.9) keV for {sup 62}Cu.

Full Text Available This article focuses on the application of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD method and shows how we can use this method in the automotive industry. The cockpit of the modern car is still developing and changing according to technical progress and customers’ requirements. The QFD method enables the setting of the customers’ requirements and then puts them into technical expression. The matrix of QFD sets those technical expressions that are the most important properties customers expect. These chosen properties can be tested during the technical development. The testing of new HMI concepts goes through a driving simulator and can suggest which one is suitable for being used in a real car.

The LPCTrap experiment is devoted to the precise measurement of the {beta}-{nu} angular correlation parameter, a{sub {beta}{nu}}, in the pure Gamow-Teller decay of {sup 6}He{sup +}. This experiment is motivated by the search of the presence of tensor type contributions in the weak interaction. The radioactive source is confined in a transparent Paul trap installed at LIRAT, the low energy beam line of the SPIRAL facility. The {beta}-{nu} correlation is studied by measuring the time of flight of the recoil ions detected in coincidence with the {beta} particles. During the last experiment, a total of 4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} coincidence events have been recorded which would enable to determine the coefficient with a statistical uncertainty of 0.5%. The status of the analysis is presented in this contribution.

The first experimental observation of bound-state beta-decay showed, that due solely to the electron stripping, a stable nuclide, e.g. {sup 163}Dy, became unstable. Also a drastic modification of the half-life of bare {sup 187}Re, from 4.12(2) x 10{sup 10} years down to 32.9(20) years, could be observed. It was mainly due to the possibility for the mother nuclide to decay into a previously inaccessible nuclear level of the daughter nuclide. It was proposed to study a nuclide where this decay mode was competing with continuum-state beta-decay, in order to measure their respective branchings. The ratio {beta}{sub b}/{beta}{sub c} could also be evaluated for the first time. {sup 207}Tl was chosen due to its high atomic number, and Q-value of about 1.4 MeV, small enough to enhance the {beta}{sub b} probability and large enough to allow the use of time-resolved Schottky Mass Spectrometry (SMS) to study the evolution of mother and bound-state beta-decay daughter ions. The decay properties of the ground state and isomeric state of {sup 207}Tl{sup 81+} have been investigated at the GSI accelerator facility in two separate experiments. For the first time {beta}-decay where the electron could go either to a bound state (atomic orbitals) and lead to {sup 207}Pb{sup 81+} as a daughter nuclide, or to a continuum state and lead to {sup 207}Pb{sup 82+}, has been observed. The respective branchings of these two processes could be measured as well. The deduced total nuclear half-life of 255(17) s for {sup 207}Tl{sup 81+}, was slightly modified with respect to the half-life of the neutral atom of 286(2) s. It was nevertheless in very good agreement with calculations based on the assumption that the beta-decay was following an allowed type of transition. The branching {beta}{sub b}/{beta}{sub c}=0.192(20), was also in very good agreement with the same calculations. The application of stochastic precooling allowed to observe in addition the 1348 keV short-lived isomeric state of {sup

As part of the T-REX project, a number of R and D and prototyping activities have been carried out during the last years to explore the applicability of gaseous Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) with Micromesh Gas Structures (Micromegas) in rare event searches like double betadecay, axion research and low-mass WIMP searches. In both this and its companion paper, we compile the main results of the project and give an outlook of application prospects for this detection technique. While in the companion paper we focus on axions and WIMPs, in this paper we focus on the results regarding the measurement of the double betadecay (DBD) of {sup 136}Xe in a high pressure Xe (HPXe) TPC. Micromegas of the microbulk type have been extensively studied in high pressure Xe and Xe mixtures. Particularly relevant are the results obtained in Xe + trimethylamine (TMA) mixtures, showing very promising results in terms of gain, stability of operation, and energy resolution at high pressures up to 10 bar. The addition of TMA at levels of ∼ 1% reduces electron diffusion by up to a factor of 10 with respect to pure Xe, improving the quality of the topological pattern, with a positive impact on the discrimination capability. Operation with a medium size prototype of 30 cm diameter and 38 cm of drift (holding about 1 kg of Xe at 10 bar in the fiducial volume, enough to contain high energy electron tracks in the detector volume) has allowed to test the detection concept in realistic experimental conditions. Microbulk Micromegas are able to image the DBD ionization signature with high quality while, at the same time, measuring its energy deposition with a resolution of at least a ∼ 3% FWHM @ Q{sub ββ}. This value was experimentally demonstrated for high-energy extended tracks at 10 bar, and is probably improvable down to the ∼ 1% FWHM levels as extrapolated from low energy events. In addition, first results on the topological signature information (one straggling track ending in two

The solar wind is a turbulent magnetized plasma extending from the upper atmosphere of the sun to the edge of the heliosphere. It carries charged particles and magnetic fields originated from the Sun, which have great impact on the geomagnetic environment and human activities in space. In such a magnetized plasma, Alfven waves play a crucial role in carrying energy from the surface of the Sun, injecting into the solar wind and establishing power-law spectra through turbulent energy cascades. On the other hand, in compressible plasmas large amplitude Alfven waves are subject to a parametric decay instability (PDI) which converts an Alfven wave to another counter-propagating Alfven wave and an ion acoustic wave (slow mode). The counter-propagating Alfven wave provides an important ingredient for turbulent cascade, and the slow-mode wave provides a channel for solar wind heating in a spatial scale much larger than ion kinetic scales. Growth and saturation of PDI in quiet plasma have been intensively studied using linear theory and nonlinear simulations in the past. Here using 3D hybrid simulations, we show that PDI is still effective in turbulent low-beta plasmas, generating slow modes and causing ion heating. Selected events in WIND data are analyzed to identify slow modes in the solar wind and the role of PDI, and compared with our simulation results. We also investigate the validity of linear Vlasov theory regarding PDI growth and slow mode damping in turbulent plasmas. Since PDI favors low plasma beta, we expect to see more evidence of PDI in the solar wind close to the Sun, especially from the upcoming NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission which will provide unprecedented wave and plasma data as close as 8.5 solar radii from the Sun.

At the mass separator LOHENGRIN of the Laue-Langevin institute in Grenoble for 18 nuclei (Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, and Rh nuclides) with masses 101 ≤ A ≤ 106 and A=109 Q β values were determined from measurement of betadecay energies. From the study of the isomerism in 102 Nb resulted that the energetic distance of the two isomers is certainly smaller than 200 keV, that it is probably even smaller than 100 keV. The decay scheme for 102 Nb could be extended by one level which is depopulated by two gamma lines. For the decay of the 109 Ru the approach of a decay scheme is given: Five new levels are proposed. The diagrams of the two-particle separation energies which could be extended in this thesis confirm the continuation of the deformation in the considered region. A deformed subshell at N=62 however cannot yet be clearly detected. (orig./HSI) [de

We developed a cryogenic phonon-scintillation detector to search for 0νββ decay of 100Mo. The detector module, a proto-type setup of the AMoRE experiment, has a scintillating 40Ca100MoO4 absorber composed of 100Mo-enriched and 48Ca-depleted elements. This new detection method employs metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs) as the sensor technology for simultaneous detection of heat and light signals. It is designed to have high energy and timing resolutions to increase sensitivity to probe the rare event. The detector, which is composed of a 200 g 40Ca100MoO4 crystal and phonon/photon sensors, showed an energy resolution of 8.7 keV FWHM at 2.6 MeV, with a weak temperature dependence in the range of 10-40 mK. Using rise-time and mean-time parameters and light/heat ratios, the proposed method showed a strong capability of rejecting alpha-induced events from electron events with as good as 20σ separation. Moreover, we discussed how the signal rise-time improves the rejection efficiency for random coincidence signals.

Based on the formulae for the double β decay obtained in the previous paper, the general properties of 0 + → J + transitions are discussed and the analysis of the experimental data is presented. It is found that, for the two neutrino mode, the 0 + → 0 + transition in the two nucleon (2n)-mechanism dominates over the 0 + → 2 + transition as well as the contribution from the N*-mechanism. For the neutrinoless mode, only the 0 + → 0 + transition in the 2n-mechanism is allowed if there is no right-handed interaction. When the right-handed interaction gives a sizable contribution, the role of the 0 + → 2 + transition becomes as important as the 0 + → 0 + transition in this mode. It is concluded that the experimental data on the ratio of the 128 Te to 130 Te half-lives by Hennecke et al. suggest that neutrinos are Majorana particles, if we take the Vergados estimation of the nuclear matrix elements. Moreover, we find that the weighted average of neutrino masses is around 34 eV if there is no right-handed interaction. (author)

The authors performed a precision measurement of the end point region of the tritium β-ray spectrum. The data were recorded with an iron-free π√13/2 magnetic spectrometer. The source consisted of tritium atoms, absorbed in a thin layer of hafnium, which was evaporated on a silicon wafer. The instrumental resolution was set to 0.1% in Δrho/rho. The fractional solid angle was 1% of 4π. The authors identified the electrons with a proportional counter, filled with isobutane. The counter had two distinct features: First, the good energy resolution of the signal at the main counting wire over a wide energy range allowed us to discriminate between real and background events, and second, there was a ring of several secondary counting wires around the main wire within the same gas volume, which served as an anticoincidence counter. With this arrangement an additional reduction of the background could be obtained. The functions of the spectrometer were checked by using internal conversion lines from the decay of /sup 169/Yb

In glass-forming melts the decay of structural fluctuation shows the well known transition from beta-relaxation (von-Schweidler law with exponent b) to alpha-decay (KWW law with exponent beta). Here we present results from molecular dynamics simulations for a metallic glass forming Ni0.5Zr0.5 model aimed at giving an understanding of this transition on the atomistic scale. At the considered temperature below mode coupling Tc, the dynamics of the system can be interpreted by residence of the particles in their neighbour cages and escape from the cages as rare processes. Our analysis yields that the fraction of residing particles is characterized by a hierarchical law in time, with von-Schweidler b explicitly related to the exponent of this law. In the alpha-decay regime the stretching exponent reflects, in addition, floating of the cages due to strain effects of escaped particles. Accordingly, the change from beta-relaxation to alpha-decay indicates the transition from low to large fraction of escaped particles.

Double betadecay is indispensable to solve the question of the neutrino mass matrix together with nu oscillation experiments. The most sensitive experiment for eight years-the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment in Gran-Sasso-already now, with the experimental limit of (m/sub nu /)<0.26 eV excludes degenerate nu mass scenarios allowing neutrinos as hot dark matter in the Universe for the small angle MSW solution of the solar neutrino problem. It probes cosmological models including hot dark matter already now on the level of future satellite experiments MAP and PLANCK. It further probes many topics of beyond standard model physics at the TeV scale. Future experiments should give access to the multiTeV range and complement on many ways the search for new physics at future colliders like LHC and NLC. For neutrino physics GENIUS will allow to test almost all neutrino mass scenarios allowed by the present neutrino oscillation experiments. At the same time GENIUS will cover a wide range of the parameter space of pred...

Searching for the neutrinoless double betadecay (NLDBD) is now regarded as the topmost promising technique to explore the nature of neutrinos after the discovery of neutrino masses in oscillation experiments. PandaX-III (particle and astrophysical xenon experiment III) will search for the NLDBD of 136Xe at the China Jin Ping Underground Laboratory (CJPL). In the first phase of the experiment, a high pressure gas Time Projection Chamber (TPC) will contain 200 kg, 90% 136Xe enriched gas operated at 10 bar. Fine pitch micro-pattern gas detector (Microbulk Micromegas) will be used at both ends of the TPC for the charge readout with a cathode in the middle. Charge signals can be used to reconstruct the electron tracks of the NLDBD events and provide good energy and spatial resolution. The detector will be immersed in a large water tank to ensure 5 m of water shielding in all directions. The second phase, a ton-scale experiment, will consist of five TPCs in the same water tank, with improved energy resolution and better control over backgrounds.

Cosmic radiation creates a significant background for low count rate experiments. The Majorana demonstrator experiment is located at the Sanford Underground Research Facility at a depth of 4850ft below the surface but it can still be penetrated by cosmic muons with initial energies above the TeV range. The interaction of muons with the rock, the shielding material in the lab and the detector itself can produce showers of secondary particles, like fast neutrons, which are able to travel through shielding material and can produce high-energy γ-rays via capture or inelastic scattering. The energy deposition of these γ rays in the detector can overlap with energy region of interest for the neutrino-less double betadecay. Recent studies for cosmic muons penetrating the Majorana demonstrator are made with the Geant4 code. The results of these simulations will be presented in this talk and an overview of the interaction of the shower particles with the detector, shielding and veto system will be given. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, the Particle Astrophysics Program of the National Science Foundation, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Supported by U.S. Department of Energy through the LANL/LDRD Program.

This proposal is aimed at the study of the $\\beta$- decay of the neutron-deficient $^{188,190,192}$Pb nuclei. The main motivation of the proposed experiment is to determine the Gamow-Teller strength distribution in the daughter nuclei using the Total Absorption Spectrometer "Lucrecia". Recent theoretical results show that from this measurement the shapes of the ground states of the decaying Pb nuclei can be inferred. This study offers an independent way to study the phenomenon of shape co-existence in a region of particular interest.